This book is everything. I loved every second spent in this book. The characters, the pacing, the plot all worked so well. There is something so comforting in a rom com with emotional depth and this author nails it again!

4.25 stars rounded down

"I love every piece of you. Even the ones you wish didn't exist."

What I love about Abby Jimenez is how real and relatable her books and characters are. These are real people, trying to do their best in life. Briana is working towards a promotion at her hospital while also supporting her brother who is has a kidney disease. Miles is just looking for a fresh start after a family fall out, Briana and Jacob have a rocky start, but the progression of their relationship is so sweet. I laughed and cried while reading.

Family plays such a big and important role in this book and I loved reading about these complex relationships. Mental health also plays such an important role. I did find myself frustrated by the conflict at the end of the book, and wish it could have been addressed different or left out for a different plot point. Overall though, I loved this book and both Briana and Jacob.

Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓: Forever Pub𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔: Workplace Romance, Fake Dating, Friends to Lovers, Open Door Romance

Briana is coming out of a decade long marriage that ended  badly, her brother Benny has renal failure and needs a kidney donor. The only thing that she's looking forward to is becoming the chief of ER. In comes Dr Death, the new ER doctor Jacob with whom she gets off on the wrong foot! But turns out Jacob is an uber nice guy, but has severe social anxiety. They write notes to each other, soon it evolves to more.

ok, Abby Jimenez can't write a bad or average book! I'd really like to know how Abby can't write male characters who are so amazing despite being flawed. Briana & Jacob are a hot mess regarding relationships. But how their love shows up for each other is beautiful! I love the complexity in Abby's characters. Though Briana did drive me crazy towards the end. I loved how real their problems and emotions were. Highly, highly recommend this book! Don't miss it! Bonus, you get more of Daniel & Alexis here!

Thank you @readforeverpub for the ARC of the book.

Abby Jimenez's books are not for the weak, so thank you to Forever and NetGalley for this ARC of Yours Truly in exchange for an honest review. Jimenez writes with a lot of honesty and does not shy away from the ugliness of our reality but still manages to bring lightness and humor while tackling these topics, and Yours Truly is no different. As someone who struggles with anxiety, I saw myself a lot in Jacob and was rooting for him throughout the entire book. I loved this book so much, and as a longtime reader of Abby Jimenez, Yours Truly might just be my new favorite of hers.

5/5 Stars! This book was so BEAUTIFUL. It started off enemies to lovers but then morphed into friends to lovers and then throw in fake dating and LETTERS!!! I am obsessed. The cinnamon roll MMC was also perfection. I love the anxiety and trauma reps within this story and I also loved every single one of these characters. This story will stick with me forever! LOVE LOVE LOVE.

I'm a fan of all of Abby Jimenez's books and this one did not disappoint. I actually think it might be one of my favorites. I love the fake dating trope and that is exactly what Briana and Jacob do in this book. Briana does not like Jacob at first and thinks he is rude until Jacob writes her a letter. They begin exchanging letters and quickly become friends. Bri's brother is in need of a kidney transplant and when Jacob discovers he is a match he agrees to donate. When Bri learns that Jacob is the donor she is willing to do anything to express her gratitude, including pretending to be his girlfriend so that his family thinks he has moved on from his ex girlfriend Amy, who just so happens to be marrying Jacob's little brother. Over time the two start to realize that their fake relationship but be leading to real feelings.

When I tell you Abby Jimenez absolutely CANNOT write a bad romance, I mean it with my whole goddamn heart. Yours Truly is her best one yet.

The characters stole the show here. Briana has the world on her shoulders with some relationship baggage to boot, and yet that doesn’t stop her from being strong, heartfelt, and caring. Jacob is one of my favorite male characters that I’ve read in a long time, and I think it’s because I see so much of myself reflected in his struggles with his anxiety. He’s the literal, actual definition of a cinnamon-roll guy. The fake-dating trope was top notch. I absolutely loved the relationship that developed between Briana and Jacob: the easy friendship, the emotional connection, the sexual tension, the angst.

Yours Truly relies on the miscommunication trope, however, this is one of the few times that it didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the book. It was annoying, sure, but in the grand scheme of things it made sense to the plot, increased the tension between the characters (which I’m always here for), and honestly, the book was so amazing that I just didn’t really care.

I loved, loved, loved this. Yours Truly is my favorite Abby Jimenez yet. Read this book, you will not be disappointed.

What I loved:
okay I have a LOT of feelings about this book and it’s mostly all L O V E 🥹 Jacob is simply the best male main character I’ve read about in ages. Abby, you know how to write a MMC! I really appreciate the thought she put into Jacob and his social anxiety and how BIG that really is for people. It’s still such a struggle for people to talk about their anxiety, especially men. So I am all for opening this topic up in books! I am so happy we got to see more of Briana and Alexis, they are comical and deserve the world. Like all of Abby’s books this took me right into a happy place and I didn’t want to let go at the end!

What I didn’t love:
you all know I am hugely dislike a miscommunication trope AND another one I don’t want to spoil 😅 while I know the miscommunication was a big piece of the story and what made it funny honestly along the way - I still don’t love it. But that’s the literal only critique I have and truthfully… Abby made it bearable throughout.

No, because I absolutely devoured this book. I can’t believe this is my first Abby Jimenez book. Best believe I’ll be reading her entire collection.

I love Abby Jimenez books. She does such a great job writing unique, relatable characters. This was one of my favorites by her so far.
Briana and Jacob are both ER doctors nursing broken hearts, Jacob is new to the hospital and starts off by alienating himself and making the nurses angry. Turns out he suffers from anxiety and keeps to himself because that is how he is able to cope. Bri is having a difficult time as well, Her brother is ill and her divorce is about to become final. They meet in the supply closet and gradually become friends, Their friendship is just so amazing. They begin writing each other letters and eventually start spending time together. Jacob’s family is worried about him so he tells them that he has a girlfriend and Bri offers to play the part. The fake dating trope at its best.

The sensitive issues that they are dealing with in the book are written with great care and compassion. Bri and Jacob care about each other in a way that is seldom written about. They agree not to “harm each other.” I LOVED THAT ❤️ It was just so sweet. The ending felt a bit rushed but maybe that is because I didn't want it to end.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review,
#NetGalley #YourTruly #AbbyJimenez

4.5 ⭐️

Read if you love:
▫️fake dating
▫️enemies to lovers
▫️friends to lovers
▫️workplace romance
▫️epistolary

THIS. BOOK. I absolutely adored every second of it. This was an easy 5 stars and I read it in one day because I could NOT put it down. @abby deserves ALL the praise for this one! I have yet to read a book of hers I didn’t love.

ER doctor Briana Ortiz is finalizing her divorce from her cheating husband and has sworn off ever being in a relationship again when a new doctor joins her team. Jacob, nicknamed Dr. Death after losing 7 patients on his first day, suffers from severe anxiety and has an unfortunate first encounter with Briana. Not knowing how to ease the tension, he writes her a letter to which she replies back and suddenly these letters become the highlight of their days at the hospital. Can they both be exactly what the other needs to get through the traumatic life events they’re both dealing with?

This book was a warm freakin hug on the coldest of days and I wanted to start it all over again the second I finished. This has easily made its way to my list of favorite romance books of all time! Jacob is the sweetest of all book boyfriends and a true secret hero. He and Bri had me laughing out loud, sobbing uncontrollably and hopeful that things will always work out in the end. The representation of anxiety was perfectly written imo and it made me love Jacob that much more. I truly loved every second of every page and I cannot recommend it highly enough!

Thank you to @forever and @netgalley for allowing me to read this gem of a book before its release! Yours Truly comes out April 11, 2023 so take this as a sign to preorder your copy now!!

I’ve written before about my love for Abby Jimenez books, but y'all... this book is the cherry on the fabulous cake. I LOVED it. I texted a friend and said that after meeting Jacob, men are officially ruined for me which is unfortunate for my husband.

Yours Truly follows Dr. Briana Ortiz who we met in Jimenez' last book. Briana feels like her life is falling apart. Unfortunately for Dr. Jacob Maddox, he arrives to work in Briana's department when rage controls her life. It is implied by her Chief that Maddox is her competition for the promotion she wants, so poor Jacob doesn't stand a chance... until he writes her a letter. As they begin writing back and forth, Briana realizes that Jacob may be less terrible and more exceptional than she initially gave him credit for, and that’s before he makes an incredibly generous act. There is no way she could ever repay him, but when he admits to her that he needs a fake girlfriend for a tricky family situation, it seems like the least she could do. But as it always goes, are they really faking it at all?

The characters in this story are perfection. I fell for Jacob almost immediately. He is so kindhearted, generous and affectionate. Briana is smart, strong and caring, but her past traumas have left her vulnerable and jaded. Jacob is just what she needs to remind her that there is good in the world and that love really does exist. Briana is just as much as a lifeline to Jacob through her compassion for his social anxiety and the way she supports him and cares about his comfort again and again. As someone who also struggles with anxiety, I can firsthand say how important that support is in a partner.

While I am a fan of fake dating, I will admit it's been done a lot but this book did it so well! My only frustration was I wanted to shake Jacob and Briana at times so that they would just tell each other their true feelings, but that all adds to the angst, doesn't it?

Run, don't walk when this one comes out in April because I truly think it is Jimenez' best yet!

Thank you to @netgalley Forever and Abby Jimenez for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

WOW!!! I absolutely fell in love with this book, Talk about relatable characters. I love all their flaws and quirks that made them who they are. The miscommunication was a bit nerve-wracking, but I am so happy with how it all turned out. The characters were well-developed and easily likable!

Abby Jimenez is an auto-buy author for me. Her books are a great mix of humor mixed in with the reality of real life and all that comes with it. With that being said, while I did enjoy this book it is not my favorite of hers.

I loved that we had a male MC that dealt with anxiety and that our female MC supported him through it. My setback was that as self-aware as both of them seemed to be they just didn’t communicate with each other. Literally most of their problems could have been solved by just talking. But once they finally did talk their love was so pure and genuine and I loved the story of it.

I would still recommend this one, and I still can’t wait to see what Abby does next!

After a terrible first meeting with the new guy Jacob, Briana learns he is the main competitor for her promotion. After a recent divorce and her brother's illness, she has only her career to fall back on. Jacob hopes for a fresh start at a new hospital, only to find he's made an enemy of the trauma department's sweetheart. Can a letter repair the damage?

I don't know where to begin with this review other than to say how much I loved this book! Yours Truly is already my top romance book of 2023; it has likely found a spot on my all-time favorites list. I was smiling and laughing throughout most of the book but shed a few tears, too (and I'm generally not a crier).

This review probably won't capture how special Briana and Jacob are, individually and as a couple. Briana is that person that lights up a room, and everyone loves her because of her big heart. Privately, she's carrying the weight of the world. Her brother is facing kidney failure with no available donor, and she's still nursing a very broken heart after the unexpected end of her marriage. Jacob is also brokenhearted after the end of a long-term relationship. With his social anxiety, being in new situations can be difficult for him. Jacob is a quiet guy that shows his love with his actions. Both characters are so relatable and genuine. As a couple, their slow burn evolution from enemies to friends to lovers was everything!

Mental health and chronic illness are two topics Abby Jimenez addresses in such a sensitive and respectful way. I was able not only to learn more about both issues but also to empathize more with those who are facing them.

I must mention Jacob and Briana's letters (swoon!) and the incredible side characters. I loved how they initially got to know each other by leaving notes for each other. Letter writing might be a lost art, but you can see why it is an art. The side characters in Yours Truly are so memorable. Jacob's family is hilarious (I only need to say Grandpa to anyone who has read the book). Plus, two animals, the three-legged rescue dog, Lieutenant Dan and Jafar the bird, often steal the show.

If you only read one romance this year, Yours Truly is the one to read. Briana and Jacob's incredible love story will stay with you long after you finish the book!

I received a copy of this book from Forever and NetGalley.

This book.

Yours Truly was one of those books you can’t wait to read but hold off as long as possible because you just KNOW it’s going to be amazing & you like having amazing things to look forward to 🤣

Let me tell you, it didn’t disappoint.

Quick Breakdown

Epistolary Vibes
Workplace Romance
Friends to Lovers
Fake Dating
Epistolary Vibes
Anxiety Hero
Second Chance at Love

These two MC’s completely stole my heart. Brianna is one incredibly strong FMC, while Jacob is the gooiest cinnamon roll & all I wanted to do was devour him. As much as I loved these two separately, I loved them together even more. They complemented each other. Jacob’s anxiety & Bri’s protectiveness over him. Bri’s insecurities & Jacob’s willingness to be flexible for her. They were equally sensitive to each other’s needs & it had me downright swooning.

As an ER nurse, I loved the subtle ways emergency medicine played into the story. Speaking from experience, ER’s are filled with healthy mix of both hilarity & heartbreak. It’s the perfect backdrop for a romance like this one, that handles such serious topics while maintaining levity & humor. I especially loved the organ donation aspect built into the story. It’s a topic that isn’t talked about enough, in literature & real life.

I do need to mention that there is a underlying theme of miscommunication, but I found it didn’t take away from my joy or satisfaction while reading. The ending is so beautiful that everything felt worth it 🙌🏻

4.25 stars— thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book to read! I really enjoyed Part of Your World (4.75 stars) when I listened to the audiobook so I knew I had to read this one.

There were a LOT of things I liked and the beginning of the book reeled me in right away because I read half of it in one day. I loved the story of how Brianna and Jacob met, how they started off on the wrong page but quickly grew to be amazing friends. Friends to lovers truly has me in a chokehold and I couldn’t get enough of these two. The understood each other so well and their letters to each other just made me fall in love with them even more. And honestly, I might’ve loved their whole dynamic at the beginning more than I did by the halfway point of the book.

Fake dating was the main trope and while it’s usually one of my favourite tropes, I don’t think I liked the way it was executed in this book, mainly because of the heavy miscommunication. Everything about the fake dating just felt a little too unrealistic and convenient. In reality, the fake dating wasn’t really necessary, it just felt weird for these two grown adults to be making such elaborate plans to trick their families into this scheme when all they had to do was communicate.

I was also debating rating this higher and giving it 4.5 stars but the miscommunication trope almost ruined the story for me because I’d be sort of annoyed by them. If they communicated their feelings instead of immediately jumping to conclusions (which at some points just felt silly), there would’ve been a lot less pain. It was also dragged on for 80% of the book and this continuous miscommunication just built up that frustration even more and made their story a bit less satisfying.

What really saved the book from those 2 tropes was the characters. They are just so loveable and thoroughly developed. I appreciated all the aspects of the author’s personal life that were incorporated into the characters to make them feel real. Briana was funny and charming, incredibly nice and just a ball of sunshine. She’s also fierce and strong even with all that she’s endured. Her character was very complex but I related to her in some ways. The book does get more difficult and painful towards the end, but I don’t think her trauma was depicted unrealistically because I completely understood her reactions and fears.

Jacob was also so loveable and just the sweetest human ever. I connect with him a lot due to his anxiety and there were many specific scenarios that I resonated with. I did feel like the way his anxiety was depicted was sometimes too black and white. He was either struggling alone or feeling safe but only when he was with Brianna and never in between, which didn’t feel fully accurate, almost like he depended on her for his anxiety to slow down and that nothing else could help it. But I can understand that everyone’s anxiety is different and that his story was just one instance of many cases. These comments aside, he is the standard for boyfriends TRULY. And I’ll also admit I cried a bit near the end because their story really got me! This book was funny (Xfinity Ortiz will always make me laugh), heartwarming, but also emotional and I’ve learned that Abby Jimenez’s books have everything I look for in a good romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher again for letting me read this book and share my honest opinions!

Her best book yet. Abby Jimenez does not disappoint. I had to read it again. An emotional rollercoaster. These to characters are so sweet and perfect for each other. I just couldn't get enough of them.

My heart!!!! Jacob is the book boyfriend to end all book boyfriends, of this I have no doubt. I loved watching his "gentle quiet", how hardworking/giving/selfless this dreamy ER doctor is. I love how he and Brianna just meet each other where they are at and are so there for each other. Truly beautiful to watch the two fall in love under the never quite convincing fake dating cover. I absolutely loved the excerpt that talked about loving someone while simultaneously adoring them. I definitely screenshotted that one and will be looking for that in my next partner. Abby Jimenez is truly a never fail!!!!

Yours Truly is a bit of a second chance, slow burn that gracefully tackles big feelings, chronic illness, and mental health rep. Briana and Jacob are both physicians working at the same hospital who have quite possibly the most unfortunate and awkward first encounter. As with most of her books, Abby added delightful animal characters to fall in love with. This one included a parrot named Jafar with the mouth of a sailor and a sweet dog who is wiling to sit out in the rain for his dad.

There's fake dating with a side of only one bed, lunch--and cry--breaks in the supply closet, hand written letters, the gooiest cinnamon roll of a hero, and a verbally abusive grandfather who makes threats for cigarettes. I love the way Abby takes well worn tropes and adds an extra element to them that makes them feel fresh and unique. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and especially loved how well these characters cared for each other.

I think I am in the minority here of people who don't consider this one to be Abby's best book yet. It had all of the hallmarks that I love in her writing, but overall fell a little short of fantastic for me. Jacob is a great character but I felt a little beat beaten in the face with just HOW GOOD OF A GUY he was. I get it, he's a good guy, which is shown consistently through his actions so it was unnecessary for Briana to constantly mention what a good guy he was. There's also a decision Jacob makes that he makes very clear he wants to do anonymously and that pretty quickly goes out the window which felt like a strange choice to me. Also, there were like 5 too many references to Nadia Cakes...

Despite those hang ups I will still be reading any and everything Abby Jimenez writes.