Briana Ortiz, the main character, is a kickass doctor going for a promotion, and at first, she tries to dislike Jacob Maddox, her newbie rival. But oh my goodness, Jacob is so sweet and relatable with his struggles with anxiety. I loved how their relationship developed with all the romance tropes like dislike-to-love, fake dating, and friends-to-lovers. Jacob's anxiety was depicted so authentically, and Briana's understanding and support were heartwarming. Sure, there were some miscommunication moments, but overall, it was a good read. Highly recommend it, especially on audiobook narrated by Kyla Garcia and Zachary Webber.

More often than not, when I see a book being heavily hyped, it ends up being a bit of a letdown. That was not the case with Yours Truly. In a month where I've already read multiple 5* books, I can say with certainty that this is the best book I will read this month, probably this year. It was truly phenomenal.

One of Abby's strengths is writing multi-faceted, realistic feeling characters, and Jacob and Briana are among her best. Jacob battles anxiety (specifically social anxiety), and I have NEVER felt more seen in a character. Obviously, anxiety can take many different forms, but the way it was portrayed with Jacob's character is by far the most representative of my own personal experiences that I've read.

Benny's (Briana's brother) mental health struggles also really resonated with me. The author perfectly portrayed the isolation and depression that can come from suddenly finding yourself in a body that doesn't work right (and not having a clear timeline or path forward for fixing it). It was heartbreaking but also so well written.

Needless to say, this book hit me in ALL the feels, and that's BEFORE we even talk about the romantic storyline - which was equally wonderful. I loved the progression of Briana and Jacob's relationship and how hard they both worked to understand each other and be what the other needed. I just used this phrase in another review, but they continually showed up for each other - something I feel like is so undervalued in romance. Excessive miscommunication towards the end aside, their relationship felt like the kind you want to strive for in real life.

I could ramble indefinitely, there is just so much to these characters and this story. Sure, there's heavy stuff going on, but there's also an abundance of humor and heart and love. Finding that balance between the serious and the fun is one of the reasons I love Abby's books, and I can't recommend this one enough!

Dr. Briana Ortiz's life is in a rut. Her divorce is finalized. Her brother needs a kidney donor. She was glossed over for the promotion for a new doctor, who is a pain.

Briana is surprised when the new doctor, Dr. Jacob Maddox, sends her a letter. Briana is shocked, especially because the letter is nice. Dr. Jacob seems kind and not horrible. They begin exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates, and just talking.

Jacob decides to share a gift with Briana, the best gift ever - a kidney for her brother!

What a book! My heart flipped and flopped! I was enraged with Briana when she didn't get the promotion, and then I was crying with joy when a kidney was found for Briana's brother! The character development is on point. The characters are dealing with real life problems and emotions. Plus, the banter is swoonworthy!

This book is so dang good!! It is absolutely wonderful. Beautiful. Funny. Sweet. Charming. REAL. Raw. Heartbreaking. Heart lifting. And of course, well written. Nothing can top The Friend Zone for me, it will always be my fav AJ book. But this one? OH man, it is a CLOSE CLOSE second.

READ THIS ONE!

Thank you Forever for the gifted e-copy.

This is my new favorite Abby Jimenez book. I absolutely loved it! I adored Jacob so much, and loved Briana too. Jacob's anxiety was well written, and as someone that has anxiety (and social anxiety at that), it really resonated with me. I was like "yup, I feel that" so many times as I was reading. I love how Briana would do things to help alleviate his stress and almost melted a few times at the things she did for him. Their letters back and forth were adorable and I wanted MORE of that!

The big misunderstanding frustrated me, because I hate those in books, but it redeemed itself fully.

I don't even want to say too much else, other than if you are a fan of Abby's books, go read this one NOW. I will be purchasing a physical copy for my shelves ASAP.

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
REVIEW:
This was my FIRST Abby Jimenez book I’ve read🙈but oh my gosh. 😍 I freaking loved it.

It’s got all the things:
-slow burn
-workplace romance
-enemies to lovers
-fake relationships
-forced proximity
-letter writing 😍

Briana is going through a divorce and has a tough time trusting men after several difficult experiences. Jacob lives with social anxiety and all that comes with it.

They meet at the ER they both work at and get a rocky start. But over time, things change and evolve.

Y’all. I was swooning this whole book. They write letters!! The way Briana treats and respects Jacob with his anxiety is one of my favorite parts of this book. It was so heartwarming how Abby was able to take something with so much stigma surrounding it and made it into a beautiful story.

Literally one of the best books I’ve read in a while. I loved this so much and cannot wait to dive into the rest of her books ASAP.

4.5/5 stars

Yours Truly is a contemporary romance that deals with serious issues. It is my fifth book by this author (she's written 5 books).

This is Briana's book (she is Alexis' best friend in Part Of Your World). It can be read as a standalone. However the heroine of Part Of Your World has a supporting role in this book. So these books work better as companion novels.

This book alternates between the female and male POVs. We met Bri in POYW. She is an ER doctor and she is divorced. She doesn't trust easily. But she's outgoing and loyal. Jacob is unlike any hero that I've ever read about before. He is also an ER doctor. But he suffers from social anxiety. He is such a gentle soul and is so caring and thoughtful. The way that he is portrayed in this book is incredible.

This book originally had a different title. But the main characters write letters to each other. So I think that this new title is wonderful.

This is a sweet romance. But it also deals with serious topics. Both main characters have been burned by their significant others. Mental health issues are a big part of the story including anxiety. There is chronic kidney disease. And all of these things are dealt with in such a thoughtful way. Read the author's note at the end. It really explains how so much of this book relates to her.

I was completely obsessed with this book right from the start. However my one small complaint is that there was a bit too much miscommunication.

Overall his book is emotional. Beautiful. Moving. And I cannot recommend it more highly.

I absolutely loved this book. Reading Abby's work is like consuming candy. She makes me laugh, cry and swoon... sometimes all at once. I loved this story so much. Both MCs were so sweet and their chemistry was off the charts. Normally I have no patience for a miscommunication trope but it so worked here. LOVED this book.

I have mixed feelings here. One, I love Abby & everything she does. Two, I was a little bored at times and really not into the male MC. I did love the kidney storyline and how it was relatable to Abby's real life. Overall it felt a little long & drawn out but still enjoyable.

4.5 ⭐️ thank you to netgalley and forever for an eARC of this book! I loved it so much!! Abby Jimenez is officially an auto-buy author for me. The main characters Briana and Jacob are so cute and sweet and gave me butterflies from start to finish. If you love the fake dating trope, please read this book!!

This book is a true slump buster and a joy to read. There is so much to love in these pages! Jacob and Briana are both doctors who work together in the ER. After a bad first meeting, Jacob decides to remedy the situation via a letter he writes to Briana. They begin a friendship of sorts through quick letters and notes they write to one another that morphs into a more personal one after they begin texting and hanging out more. Everything becomes more complex as their lives intermix for a variety of reasons.

This is such a well-written story of friendship turned to love. Jacob has severe anxiety. The way that it is presented in this book is so well done and with such care. I loved the discussions about self-management, therapy, and the way in which Jacob is unapologetic about who he is. He knows his challenges and how to deal with them in the best way for him. I admired Briana's strength as she handled her job, her divorce, her brother's illness and more. There is angst for sure but also real discussions in this book as the two became closer and closer. I laughed many many times throughout reading and adored the ways in which they loved and accepted one another.

This is my first book by Jimenez but will not be my last. I will be diving into her backlist at the soonest possibility. A solid 5 star read that I would recommend to absolutely anyone!

Thank you to Forever for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book so much! It was everything I hoped it could be and more. The love between Bri and Jacob is sweet and sincere. I found myself wiping away tears numerous times while reading. Their notes also had me laughing out loud. Bri and Jacob were a great compliment to each other in the way their characters were written. It's a friends-to-lovers trope with some sweet love notes mixed in. Personally I've been through the organ donor cycle on both ends, with my brother as a donor when he passed and my father as a recipient, so I understand Bri's feelings and heartache watching some of the things her brother was going through. Each family and person's struggles are different. I implore each reader to read the acknowledgements to hear Abby's journey for this story.

Thank you Abby for telling your story and for putting this story into the word. I can't wait to read what you write next, as always. Your books give me a small part of home back as I live in the South now. I'll always be a Midwest girl no matter how far away I live.

Just when I think I’ve read my very favorite book by @authorabbyjimenez she does it again.

📖𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙮
✍🏻Abby Jimenez
🗓️4.11.23
💘Contemporary Romance
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh my heart. Yours Truly was funny, emotional, heartwarming, and wonderful. The story features Briana and Jacob (Dr. Jacob Maddox to be exact), and their hilarious banter and cute romance will make you laugh and then swoon. Add in some great side characters, and a cute 3-legged pup named Lieutenant Dan, and I just loved every bit of it!

𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵
💘cute romance
❌miscommunication trope
🐶adorable pets
✉️epistolary format of letters
🧠great mental health rep

Thank you SO much to my partner @readforeverpub and Netgalley #gifted

Abby does an excellent job of showing what it’s like to live with anxiety. Jacob was incredibly relatable. I loved how Brianna and Jacobs relationship began and how they were able to be genuine and vulnerable with each other.

It was also nice seeing Alexis and Daniel in this one!

Absolutely yes to this book!!!! My first Abby Jimenez book did NOT disappoint!! I now understand the hype behind this amazing woman!

First let me just say, Jacob has my whole heart😍🥰 This book has everything: the banter, the hand written letters, the personalities of every character - it just felt so real! It gave me strong Grey’s Anatomy vibes, and I LOVED every second of it.

Even though it’s a romance, it still tackles hard topics, such as divorce, organ donations, anxiety, and depression. The author does such a fantastic job of navigating each topic with the perfect balance of realness, and then lightening the mood, when appropriate. She also includes a warning in the beginning with all of the possible trigger warnings so you will know if this book is for you or not.

I cannot recommend this book enough - as long as you’re ready to feel ALL of the emotions!🥹

A HUGE thank you to @netgalley & @readforeverpubfor the ARC!

You had me at: for a million dollars, would you (blank).

I don't tend to gravitate toward romance stories because I find them to be predictable. Unlike my preferred suspense thrillers, where anything can happen, romance has to start with some sort of conflict and end with love, usually. However, Abby Jimenez is one of my go to authors within this genre because her romance stories offer depth in storytelling, but also in her characters that pull me in, and forget about predictable formulas.

why my nose was in this book:
I appreciated the nuanced complexities of MCs Briana and Jacob, as they navigated their blossoming relationship together, and apart
The will they / won't they tension added to the suspense
Jacob and Briana's eccentric family members - especially grandpa!, added another layer of personality to their stories
The start of their relationship, sending each other handwritten letters...swoon!

Freshly divorced, Dr. Brianna Ortiz does not have time to focus on her love life. If she’s not working, she’s looking after her brother who desperately needs a donor for a new kidney. Dr. Jacob Maddox is newly transferred to Brianna’s hospital and they’re first meeting is nothing short of a disaster. When he realizes what a terrible impression she has of him, he writes her a letter of apology. A simple letter sparks a friendship and maybe more.

Yours Truly is the follow-up book to Part of Your World. It can be read as a stand-alone. There are “easter eggs” from most of the author’s other books scattered throughout. No spoilers!

Every time I start a new Abby Jimenez book, I know it’s going to be my favorite one yet and this one really is. I’ve never read a bad book by her but they somehow keep getting better. Of all of the characters she has created, Jacob is the most relatable. All the little things he’s shown doing that may seem odd or as overreactions are very typical anxiety things. Jacob’s character is written in such a realistic way that it's impossible for me not to feel empathy for him. Briana’s character is great because she’s just so genuine. She has a big heart which makes her fiercely loyal to her family and friends. She also knows not just what she wants but what she deserves and she’s no longer willing to accept anything less.

While this book will have readers laughing out loud at many points (glitter), the author does cover some more sensitive topics as well.

Trigger/Content Warnings: infidelity, manipulative exes, panic attacks, anxiety, chronic illness, and miscarriage

Your Truly is well worth the hype. I can’t wait to see what the author has instore for the next book in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing)!

Abby Jimenez is one of my favorites, and she did nothing but solidify that fact with Yours Truly. Briana Ortiz has bad luck with men, and the last year has been particularly difficult. So when a new doctor is hired and he’s a jerk, she’s not surprised. Only, he might not be so bad…. From enemies to friends to maybe something more, Yours Truly is perfect. I love the way Abby Jimenez handled Briana’s insecurities and Jacob’s anxiety. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt more seen than I did with Jacob’s character. If you like romance, this is a must read.

“And his home was like being invited into a beautiful bird’s nest, where I felt insulated and safe. But I think I knew in the back of my mind that the thing I liked about Jacob’s house was Jacob.”

When I say this is the most precious and beautiful story, just trust me, it is. It’s like having a warm blanket wrapped around you with the best coffee brewing and the sun peeking over the clouds. It’s an extraordinary story that you cannot miss. Two doctors dealing with past hurt trying to forge their way forward. There’s fake dating, lots of family interaction, a dog named Lieutenant Dan, a foul-mouthed parrot named Jafar, and pop-ins from your favorite characters in Part of Your World. I laughed so hard at times I was almost crying. Sprinkled with a lot of the authors own personal experiences (definitely don’t miss the authors note at the end), this story has so much heart you’ll fly right through it. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book so fast this year. Yours Truly is going to be a 2023 favorite. Mark my words. If I could recommend a book so far this year that you can’t miss, it would be this one. Available now❤️5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was given an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4.5 stars

I loved Part of Your World so when I heard that Briana, Alexis best friend was going to have a book. I was super excited!

I loved Jacob. He was so kind, pure, gentle and such a good person. He suffered from lots of anxiety. I thought it was portrayed really well. Loved Jacob's family. They're quite a chaotic bunch.

I adored Briana. She was easy going and understood Jacob's insecurities. Their moments together were so sweet. What started out as work rivals turned into something more.

I loved how even with all the painful moments there was humor sprinkled throughout the story. It helped alleviate the sadder moments.

This is a slow burn romance that was worth the wait. Miscommunication is a big part of the story. I did struggle with the miscommunication. Overall though I really enjoyed it!