Dearest Reader,

The art of writing letters is almost lost. In the modern age we live in, with communication literally at the tips of our fingers, it’s easy to utilize the quick and easy methods of conversation and the short-hand that we all have succumbed to at one time or another. The instant gratification of a fast reply is more satisfying than slow building anticipation. However, there’s a time and place for letter writing that will hopefully continue to remain, even in the midst of the digital age.


Love letters.

“Yours Truly” by Abby Jimenez follows Briana Ortiz, the best friend of Alexis Montgomery from “Part of your World”. Briana is going through a divorce and not her best self. I can assure you, Reader, there have been a few times in my life when I have not been my best self, so immediately I could relate. After a bad day and a health scare of a loved one, Briana literally runs into her newest colleage Dr. Jacob Maddox. Her words are short, his are cold, and they get off on the wrong foot.

Briana and Jacob don’t start out writing love letters. They hardly know each other! Their letters are everything else: apology letters, getting to know you letters, advice letters. Getting ideas down on paper is sometimes the best way to organize your mind. Sometimes, taking a breath to choose words carefully makes all the difference. Jacob would agree. His first letter to Briana explains his intentions and his thoughts behind their first encounter, and it makes Briana see things in a different light.

“There’s something about holding the paper in your hand, seeing the ink on the page, the press of the pen. He made this. It took effort. It was a physical act. He couldn’t erase it if he made a mistake, he had to think about what he was going to say before he said it – or he said exactly what he wanted to and didn’t need to change it.”

There’s an indescribeable feeling for when you start to know someone via letters or their own words. Maybe that’s why online dating is so popular. Sure, there are always going to be people looking for a quick hook-up. There will also people hoping beyond hope that their words, thoughts, dreams, and motivations will speak loudly to someone who values those as well.

Dearest Reader, please know that “Yours Truly” also has one of my most favorite tropes – fake dating. As much as I hate secondhand cringe, I LIVE for it with fake dating because it all ends up leading to the Happily Ever After. Would you agree? The best interactions are with the fake daters and their exes, who they inevitably always end up running into. “Yours Truly” doesn’t disappoint in this area.

“Do you like it?” Amy asked her with a forced smile, obviously trying to make conversation to salvage the bad start.

“Working with him? I love it,” Briana said. She looked up at me with stars in her eyes. “You know what he said to me the other day? You guys will love this story. We had this patient with a degloving injury to the scalp. Half his face was peeled off, really gory. Anyway, we patched this guy up and Jacob grabs me and pulls me into a supply closet and looks me in the eye and says, ‘Briana, I would love you even if you didn’t have a face.'”

Ultimately, Reader, I love love, and Abby Jimenez knows how to write love. Jacob and Briana learn about each other through written word, long enough to make them want to know each other outloud and in real time. It’s about looking past your biases and initial impressions to see the real person underneath.

Jacob made me feel safe. He was like a living lullaby. A softly spoken word. The smell of coffee and toast in the morning or a cozy fleece blanket. The rain pattering on the roof on a day where you don’t have to go anywhere or do anything.

Briana was a catastrophic life event. A thing that changed everything. And I wouldn’t be the same after this. All the women I’d ever met and all the women I ever would fell away beneath her. She had me.


Jimenez makes me crave each next page. I can’t stop thinking about her characters. I want to be their friends. Would Briana want to go hiking with me? Could we get Nadia Cakes afterward as a reward? Would Jacob let me play with Leiutenant Dan? I’d like to think they would, just like I’d like to think that you and I would be friends, Reader, after we’ve bonded over so many of our favorite books. I hope “Yours Truly” becomes one of your favorite books, because it certainly has become one of mine.

Regards,

Val

What a beautiful book. Abby Jimenez really knows how to create an emotive journey that pulls on my heartstrings. Yet the book is infused with humor, levity, and celebrates joy. Such a delightful read

Abby Jimenez is one of my favorite authors so I had no doubt that I would love Yours Truly as much as I have loved her other books. From the minute I start reading, I become completely engrossed in her writing. Her characters always feel so real and relatable and Bri and Jacob were no different.

•The anxiety rep in this book felt spot on for me personally.
• Also, he writes her hand written letters 😍

I’m officially obsessed with Abby Jimenez. I have loved her writing since The Friend Zone, and after Yours Truly, I will forever faithfully set aside a day to devour her new releases. I can never put them down once I start. I don’t know if my children ate the day I read this book. I’m assuming my husband fed them because they pretty much left me alone in my bubble of happiness.

I smiled and giggled so much while Briana and Jacob built their friendship/relationship. I laughed loudly a few times, startling my lap dog. He didn’t find it funny like I did. The dialogue and banter that Abby creates, along with heartwarmingly real characters, results in stories you never want to end and people you wish you could know in real life.

Jacob’s family was freakin amazing. I loved the way they sided with and supported him while his brother got engaged to his ex girlfriend 🥴 and Briana standing up for him made my heart swoon. They were just *chef’s kiss* together.

Don’t get me wrong though, this book made me cry too. There are always hard topics in Abby’s books, but she manages to add humor throughout that makes it feel like a lighter read.

Heads up, there’s pretty much zero steam here so if that’s what makes you happy, don’t look for it within this story. That didn’t matter to me because the story didn’t need it to pack a punch.

Thank you so much to @readforeverpub
I did a happy dance when y’all said I could have an arc, screamed when the arc got here, and hugged the book hard at the end. I couldn’t ask for more.

Abby, please continue to write forever.

Briana is newly divorced, her brother needs a new kidney, she was passed over for a promotion, and she's recently moved back into her childhood home. Jacob finds out his brother is engaged to his ex-girlfriend, he has switched jobs and none of his coworkers like him, and he has some anxiety issues. Jacob didn't make a great first impression with Briana, but once they start exchanging letters Briana learns maybe he isn't that bad. Soon they start fake dating to help Jacob get through awkward family gatherings with his brother and ex, and start to develop feelings for each other. Can they overcome their past relationships and live happily ever after?
This book was so cute. I love Abby Jimenez!

I read this book so fast you all! Abby Jimenez writes the most amazing characters and this book was no exception.

I loved Jacob and everything about him. He was so perfectly written and the focus on him overcoming his anxiety was my favorite theme in the book. I really liked Brianna too and I feel she was so good for him. Their friendship was everything!

Small spoilers:
The only thing that knocked a star down for me was the constant back and forth of the miscommunication. I felt like it lasted most of the book and that was hard for me to get over. There is also a surprise at the end of something that I usually don’t like but I think this was done really well!

Overall I really enjoyed it and Jimenez will remain an auto buy for me!

Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5

Read this if you like:
✍️ Big overwhelming families with quirky relatives
✍️ Fake Dating
✍️ Learning to love after heartbreak

I don’t know how these books just keep getting better but I’m all in to whatever comes next. These characters and their issues are relatable and moving. I just highly recommend this whole series and cannot wait to read more.

More like 4.75. Two tropes towards end were kinda eh move on, but I absolutely love love love this book. This is the first romcom I have liked in awhile and I am so happy it exists. Jacob’s and Briana’s story honestly just reminds me of my husband and I so much and it makes me happy. The anxiety rep was top tier and written so well. Thank you Abby Jimenez for writing this book. Also 10000% better than Part of Your World and I am glad I took the chance on this one and read it. Also, i cried three times.

Just like with PART OF YOUR WORLD, I loved Jimenez’s writing. She writes about difficult topics within her romances and it really tugs at your emotions!

❤️ dual POV
❤️ fake dating
❤️ forced proximity
❤️ anxiety rep 🙌 I suffer from anxiety so it really means a lot to me to read stories that depict it in such a real way
❤️ I enjoyed the letter correspondences sprinkled throughout the book 💌

Jimenez handled the difficult topics with such grace and reading the author’s note at the end made the story all the more meaningful.

This one had some of my fav tropes (fake dating and forced proximity) 🫶 but also two of my least favorite tropes (not going to include them because I don’t want to spoil)!

I really loved Briana & Jacob and could not put the book down.

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is not what she expected. Her husband cheated on her, her brother is on the waitlist for a kidney transplant, and if that wasn’t enough, now she has to compete with a new doctor for the promotion she was supposed to get.

Dr. Jacob Maddox is the new doctor. He used to work with his girlfriend, but three months after they broke up, she started dating his brother. All of this was too much for his anxious heart, so he decided to move to another hospital.

Bri and Jacob’s first impression wasn’t the best, but when they start writing letters to each other, they develop a lovely and wholesome relationship that’s going to help them overcome their fears and struggles.

New book boyfriend alert! Abby Jimenez has definitely delivered a swoon-worthy-hero. Jacob Maddox is one of the best male characters I’ve ever read.

I can’t even begin to describe how much I loved this book. I loved the main characters so much! Being a female physician and an anxious person, I could see myself in both of them.

There isn’t one single thing I would change about this book. It made me cry, laugh out loud (in this economy?!) and swoon over these two perfectly imperfect people.

Other thing that I really appreciate in Abby Jimenez’s books is how she make me fall in love not only with her amazing characters but also with the adorable animals she includes in her books.

If you haven’t read it yet, what are you waiting for?

Thank you @Netgalley and @readforeverpub for my ARC of this wonderful book. Even the “Author’s Note” was great!

“Wouldn’t it be amazing to live like that? To not carry that burden around with you. To not feel constantly overwhelmed and overstimulated and second-guess every little thing.”

“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.”

Two doctors that are suddenly coworkers, attracted to each other but getting over relationship issues. Add in both their families and the quirks that come with and you have a page turner! Granted there are some heavy issues that are mentioned, kidney failure, miscarriage, cheating spouses, anxiety issues and of course trust issues (cheating spouses remember). When you find the one that understands you and would do anything for you even if you try to sabotage it, that's true love! Even the families are pulling for these two to figure things out and get together. My first book by Ms. Jimenez and I enjoyed it so much! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I loved this book! I have read all of Abby's previous work and it's impossible for me to pick my favorite but this might be in the running. She always does a great job of weaving an entertaining romantic story with emotionally heavy plot points. I loved Jacob and Briana. They were each dealing with their own life issues and seeing their supportive relationship grow really developed them as characters. This book was also filled with side characters with subplots of their own. I was rooting for Briana's brother throughout the story! I highly recommend this read and any book by Abby Jimenez. She never disappoints!

Thank you to Abby Jimenez, NetGallery and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of Yours Truly.

When I say Abby Jimenez is my traditionally published romance QUEEN, I truly mean that. I had high expectations going into this book, and it met every single one. I loved it so much! Highly recommend.

I finally understand the hype about Abby Jimenez! This was such a fast read and I didn't want it to end! I got major Grey's Anatomy vibes and loved the narrative about mental health!

Abby Jimenez’s novel Part of Your World was one of my favorite reads last year. I adored it so much that I immediately went on to binge her earlier series, The Friend Zone, which I also loved. My favorite part about Jimenez’s writing is the way she writes her characters. They’re always just so real and relatable. With her latest novel, Yours Truly, the second installment in the Part of Your World series, Jimenez has given me two of my favorite fictional characters ever, including a new favorite book boyfriend!

The story follows Brianna Ortiz, an ER doctor who is dealing with some pretty major life stressors when we first meet her. She is finalizing a divorce from her cheating spouse, her younger brother has renal disease and desperately needs a kidney, and the promotion she has wanted for as long as she can remember, is about to be stolen out from under her by Jacob Maddox, another ER doctor who has just transferred to the hospital where she works.

What Brianna doesn’t know is that Jacob isn’t actually her rival at all. Jacob recently discovered that his girlfriend was cheating on him with his own brother. He has started this new job in hopes of getting a fresh start and so that he can focus on his mental health, particularly his social anxiety. Jimenez does a beautiful job exploring Jacob’s anxiety, both by showing us how it impacts his life and also by showing us how he copes with it. As someone who also suffers from social anxiety, I felt seen and understood as I was reading Jacob’s story.

I honestly can’t even begin to express how hard I fell for both of these characters! Jacob is the epitome of the soft, vulnerable cinnamon roll and I just wanted to give him the biggest hug every time he felt anxious. I fell head over heels for him when, after the two of them get off to a rocky start, Jacob decides to write Brianna a letter. When he confides to her about his social anxiety, Brianna immediately decides to write back to him rather than confronting him in person, recognizing and respecting that he needs that space. This leads to the most adorable penpal relationship and I found myself grinning every time either of them received a new letter in their lockers. The letters are so sweet and earnest, with a hint of flirty banter, and I loved watching them become more open as they got to know each other. When they actually started hanging out together, I thought my heart would explode with joy and by the time I reached the end, I actually gave the book a hug, which I have never done before, haha!

This book also has all my favorite tropes so I was in heaven the entire time I was getting to know Brianna and Jacob and rooting for them to get together. If you like rivals-to-friends-to-lovers, workplace romance, fake dating, this is the book for you. And as if all of that isn’t enough, the book also features a potty-mouthed scene stealing parrot and a three-legged dog named Lieutenant Dan.

Yours Truly is charming and witty, and it absolutely stole my heart. It’s my favorite read of the year so far and I fully expect it to show up on my Best of 2023 list at year’s end.

The first half of Yours Truly is honestly fabulous. I was anticipating five stars like Part of Your World. Dual POV for Briana and Jacob helped to understand their characters and the trauma they'd previously experience. I loved the epistolary parts and had a big 'ole smile on my face. This book was setting itself up for success. Briana understanding what Jacob needs with his social anxiety was really beautiful and made Jacob feel seen. There are some shitty people, just like Alexis' family in Part of Your World, which felt quite genuine to how real people act these days.

Unfortunately, I think this is where Abby and I part ways....

Do you enjoy drama after drama after drama? Do you enjoy no communication? Absolutely no communication from 30 year old ER doctors? Two doctors who should know better than to have unprotected sex and don't get Plan B or anything?

I just can't.

CW: panic attacks, social anxiety, infidelity, chronic illness, mental illness, medical content, pregnancy, miscarriage, abandonment

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It was a perfect follow-up to Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez. She is quickly becoming an auto-read author for me, Her writing style and characters are flawless. Lets get into my review of this book.

Bri and Jacob are perfection. I fell in love with each character separately battling their problems, but together as a couple is everything I didn't know I needed. The fake dating trope is one of my all-time favorites and Abby did not disappoint me! There are quite a few heavy hitting topics, so make sure you read trigger warnings before going in. I feel that Abby Jimenez did a wonderful job writing a character with severe anxiety. It was relatable and honest.

I cannot wait for more books to come out by Abby Jimenez!

Briana's last year has been hell. Separating from her husband after he cheated with her friend, her brother's renal failure and depression, and her best friend moving away has been horrible and she wishes she could go back to the person she was, one with hope and trust.

Jacob's just started a new job as a fellow ER doctor with Briana after leaving his last hospital where his brother and ex-girlfriend work. On his first day all his patients die, no one is welcoming, and his brother and ex announce their engagement.

As Briana's divorce day approaches and Jacob's social anxiety worsens, neither are communicating at their best. When a broken phone, miscommunication, and septic IV occur, Jacob writes a letter to explain and clear up the misunderstanding (yep, I loved the actual human response too). Quickly, Briana and Jacob are writing each other letters until waiting days to hear from him is too much, then hours are spent on the phone.

Before all this, Jacob (one of the best romance heros I've read), when Briana seemed to hate him and owed him a new phone, he learned her brother needed a kidney and started getting tested to see if he was a match. He's that good a guy to everyone.

But by putting others first, he tried to bring his family back together and said he had a girlfriend so his siblings and parents would attend his brother's wedding. When Jacob and Briana are seen together by his sister, who could def see the sparks flying...his family believes she is his girlfriend. And when Briana learns that Jacob was trying to anonymously donate his kidney to her brother, she jumps at a chance to pay him back and offers to fake date.

Of course, even though Briana refuses to enter another romantic relationship, to marry and put her trust in another man sure they will leave, as she fake datas Jacob, her hard no becomes a maybe. And Jacob, who always thought he had to change to be with others, can be his true self with Briana and is comfortable with her. Briana understands Jacob and Jacob is completely open with Briana. They are what each other needs to be their best version and are so so perfect for each other.

I loved this book! Abby does such a great job grounding her books so the stories feel real and the characters are likeable, realistic, and evoke emotions. There are so many little things about the story, the relationship, and the writing that made this such an excellent read.

Feat: fake dating, divorced heroine, anxiety rep, mental health rep, epistolary romance

Thank you to netgalley and Forever for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

5 stars
1 spice

This is a solid romance book for me. I usually love Abby Jimenez's books and I did like this a bit more after reading her author's note at the end. However, the miscommunication throughout really brought this one down for me. I don't mind fake dating romance (which this one has) but the fact that the entire middle of this book was each character constantly saying they were in love with the other, but that person could never be in love with them just got grating.

Communicate! That would eliminate 100 pages of this book.

I also didn't like how Briana self-sabotaged the romance about 3/4 of the way through. While I understand she was let down by men in the past (her father, her ex-husband), to abruptly turn on Jacob (who was nothing short of perfect) seemed a bit harsh.

Anyway, this book is told in alternating perspectives (Briana and Jacob) and their romance starts as rivals. They communicate via letters, which I loved, and then they find themselves in a fake dating situation. There are a lot of tropes in this one, and I think there was just too much. I love Jimenez's writing and character development, but I didn't like Briana as much as I thought I should.

You guys... this was my first Abby Jimenez! (GASP!) Bet you didn't know there was any of those left in the bookstagram world! It was literally the BEST, I loved every second of it! Did I skip POYW & read this one first? Yes. I'm not really sure why I did it because I have it sitting on my shelf. Anyway.. can we start with my new #bookboyfriend Jacob? Oof, I'm swooning. His character was down right relatable. The way Abby represented anxiety was very well done although at times it was a bit much..but I still loved it. He was incredibly sweet and I love how she made the perfect man with words! But like... they don't exist like that. LOL I say that with the most seriousness I can muster - because I have a 10/10 husband who I've been with for 14 years & he's sweet...don't get me wrong, but he's not Jacob Maddox sweet, because that's a giant fib. But I totally fell for it & will be scribbling J + J on all my notebooks in class.

I was feeling a bit cynical when I picked this one up, a huge reading slump was at play. But slowly & slowly, page by page my layers were being pulled back. This one had me laughing-out-loud, feeling butterflies like I was 15 meeting my boyfriend at the movie theatre. I loved the immediate chemistry of the two MC's - took me back to my courting days with my husband.

My fave part might have been the blend of ALL the juicy tropes, it supplied my need for just about everything and she did it flawlessly. Literally couldn't have been more perfect of a combo.

My other fave part? It might be the relatable/raw factor that was the whole as* character of Bri. This was my first time meeting Bri, since I didn't read POYW first. That didn't stop me from loving her any less. Bri was played by the ultimate fool & the way she stumbled from her marriage to living alone in her childhood home was so raw I could feel her pain with every interaction. She played on the insecurities that was left with her by her flight risk Dad & now her pos soon to be ex husband, which ya girl knows all about because #daddyissues With everything she was going through she still managed to pack it all up & understand Jacob enough to help him, even though she also needed some serious guidance.....all the way to the therapists doorstep.

All in all this book was an easy 5* & quickly thawed me from the outside in!

Read if you like:
Rivals
Workplace romance
Fake Dating
Friends-to-lovers
Miscommunication (X100)
One bed
Forced Proximity