Briana and Jacob are both ER docs and decide to fake date for reasons benefiting both of them. Jacob, who lives with anxiety, needs a girlfriend as his family is very worried because his brother is marrying his ex girlfriend. Briana agrees to this as Jacob is going to donate a kidney to her brother. An excellent read and exactly what you would hope for from this author!

Review: Yours Truly ♥️

I can’t believe it took me until 2023 to discover Abby Jimenez. Earlier this year, I read Part of Your World for a book club and ADORED it, so I was literally jumping up and down when I was granted an early review opportunity for Yours Truly.

The lowdown: Although this book can be read as a stand-alone, I love that I already knew Bri from Part of Your World. She was an excellent secondary character in that book and was a perfect MFC in Yours, Truly. The narration of this book is split between Bri and Jacob, the newest member of the ER team. He is introduced to us as “Doctor Death” because of some unfortunate situations in the ER room, and quickly transforms into EVERYTHING ANY WOMAN COULD EVER WANT IN A MAN.

The execution of the fake dating trope in this book is *chefs kiss* and I adore how Abby Jimenez described Jacob’s struggles as a result of anxiety. This book was an EASY five stars for me - I laughed, cried, the whole nine yards. It’s just an EXCELLENT romance that will warm your heart.

TYSM to @readforeverpub, @netgalley and Abby Jimenez for the ARC!

Trigger warnings: Chronic kidney disease, divorced main character whose ex husband cheated, depression, clinical anxiety, and mention of pregnancy loss and suicide.

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Author: Abby Jimenez
Publication date: April 11, 2023

This was my first read from the Queen herself, and the hype is real. Looking for a ooey-gooey cinnamon roll of a man? Dr. Jacob Maddox has your back with tissues and a full social anxiety plan in place. Or do you need a divorcee heroine with a rapid-fire snarky mouth? Dr. Briana Ortiz will be there with petty revenge and major daddy issues.

The way social anxiety was portrayed had me swooning! I live that life on the daily, and could not believe I would see myself in a book. Even better? It was the male character showing his vulnerability and mental health struggle. I’ve entered a season of my life where I’m tired of reading about Alpha Males that go into full rampages just because another man sneezed near her. Show me the cinnamon rolls cuz I’m hungry!

Abby Jimenez has done it again! Her stories suck me in right from the start and keep me reading past my bedtime. Yours Truly was no exception! I loved this story about two ER doctors, Briana and Jacob, and all the nuggets from the other books that are sprinkled throughout. How Abby wrote about anxiety in this book really resonated with me. It was spot on in so many ways and I love how that played into Briana and Jacob’s love story and their care for each other. This book had so many tender, feel good moments and was mixed with Abby’s usual fun humor. I love a book that mixes the heartfelt, serious topics with witty banter that makes me laugh out loud. I will continue to read anything and everything Abby writes!

This was SO CUTE!! But really are we surprised? Abby Jimenez really doesn't miss for me, and this had maybe the most relatable depiction of anxiety I've ever read. I LOVE Jacob. I think that Abby writes some of the best love interests in contemporary romance. I feel like women are often the ones with anxiety in romances, so it was nice to see that dynamic flipped. I did think the kidney storyline was a tad dramatic - the question being was Briana trying to con Jacob out of a kidney. That seemed a little much, but it didn't get brought up too often. And of course I always appreciate cameos from previous AJ stories, and I loved how much we got to see of Alexis and Daniel from Part of Your World.

I’m a marketing and publicity intern at Forever Publishing, so I am reading this for work! Aaaaaaand there's a character limit on reviews here are some more words

Abby Jimenez has done it again! Yours Truly pulled me in close and did not let go and I am here for it!

From the meeting between Briana and Jacob, the friendship that ensues, the development of the friendship, to the undeniable feelings for one another, and the outcome of it all...it was all perfection. I could not put down this book because it was that good. The many personal issues that arose in the story brought light and Abby did an excellent job in allowing myself, and hopefully others, the understanding of those particular issues. Every aspect of the story, from the big to the small, were interwoven seamlessly and beautifully and Yours Truly has yet to escape my mind since I finished. Every time I think of Abby Jimenez's books, I think to myself, "There's no way she can write another brilliant book." But then she does. Each one unique and special in their own way. Love this story!!!!

Thank you so much NetGalley, Abby Jimenez, and @ReadForeverPub for the gifted copy!

Let me start by saying what I absolutely loved about this book: 1) the anxiety representation. I think it was done wonderfully. I really appreciated that and the fact the male main character was the one who suffered from it. 2) Jacob’s family!!! Absolutely amazing. Joy and the grandfather cracked me up. Jafar and Lieutenant Dan?! Amazing additions. Lastly, I did truly enjoy both of the characters; Jacob more so than Briana. However, the miscommunication really tanked the score of this book.

I am okay with a little miscommunication; it happens. I get it. However, there was SO much. They could have gotten together so much quicker if only they had a direct conversation!!!! That is truly my biggest complaint. It was way too much. Two smaller dislikes are the fact that they found themselves on rocky ground shortly after solving the miscommunication and the Jacob was described as having puppy dog eyes many times. I couldn’t picture it and it seemed odd to me? Again, an extremely minor thing, but it did remind me of a little helpless dog.

All in all, I did enjoy this book. It would have gotten a far higher rating if there was 80% less miscommunication. However, the characters and the story were refreshing and different than much of what I have read and I truly enjoyed that :).

Abby Jimenez has done it again. Yours Truly is filled with laughter, tears, anger, and joy. I enjoyed every minute of the read. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced preview.

✨ my favorite Abby Jimenez book so far (and I loved Part of Your World). Ok sorry incoming longer review…“Nothing could have prepared me for her.” - Jacob UGH

I loved Jacob and Briana, the way they met, the genuine letters and how they carried through the story. Jacob’s anxiety was so honest and true to how anxiety is and Briana is someone who understood that in a relationship, where others couldn’t. But it takes an emphatic, understanding person to do so. Which leaves me with Briana with her brother 🥹🥹🥹

Briana’s brother Benny is 27 and has a failing kidney, going through dialysis until he finds a kidney match for a donor, and has a rare blood type. People say dialysis is better off or it could be worse, but what kind of life at such a young age is lived being on dialysis, really minimizing your life experience? This really hit home for me because my younger sister also has kidney disease, on dialysis and we’re waiting for a match and to further along the process. The mental health and debilitation of life from kidney disease is heartbreaking and watching my best friend go through this, when she already has been through so much, is absolutely heartbreaking for my family and I. “Because when you have people who love you, they hurt along with you.” I may be crying typing this review, but I’m so thankful that Abby wrote this story to have others understand different life experiences and the importance of organ donations. And the most amazing thing? My sister can’t wait to read this because finally she can read about something she relates to.

This book had a little enemies to lovers, a quiet love, an introvert and extrovert, intelligent and strong individuals, a man who journals and processes and loves to garden. I can’t tell you enough how I ADORE dual POV and being in both Briana’s and Jacob’s heads. It was absolutely necessary. Even though there was a bit of miscommunication that built out the story until it came to surface, I really liked how it was handled WHEN they communicated. And Briana’s fears at the end were valid as much as I was upset for Jacob, but I was on the tip of my toes until it got situated 😤

“I always think that when we're quiet, we're agreeing to be harmless to each other. That we're just sharing the same space and letting each other exist exactly as we are, and neither of us would hurt or upset the other one.”

“I knew the science behind what I'd felt. That the pressure of her contact was sending signals to my autonomic nervous system, quieting down my fight-or-flight response, oxytocin was being released, creating a feeling of calm and bonding.”

I’m going to end it with a little something from Abby’s authors note which is especially necessary to read and I resonate heavy with. Thank you to Abby for this story, her words, and for read forever pub for the arc! ♥️

“We’re made up of all those we’ve met and all the things we’ve been through. There are parts of us that are colorful and dark and jagged and beautiful. All my books are mosaics of me and my life experiences pieced together with touches of fiction. To entertain you. To help you escape. To educate and hopefully change the way you see the world and what you put into it. My hope is that through this book, and through sharing my own story, you may one day consider the gift of organ donation. It changes lives.”

This was such an enjoyable read. I loved getting to know Briana better in this story and meeting Jacob was such a delight. He’s such a sweetheart of a character who talks about his anxiety and mental health in such important and meaningful ways. I loved his giving heart and his sweet nature, he balanced out Briana’s tumultuous life so well and they work so well together.

The one thing I wasn’t prepared for was just how heavy this book would feel at times, particularly with Briana’s brother on dialysis and the mental health challenges he’s facing during this time. The author represents this beautifully and honestly on the page, but I think it’s important to mention for anyone who might be sensitive to those topics.

Overall, a heartwarming and beautiful romance from start to finish. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an advanced copy of this story. All thoughts are my own.

Read this if you enjoy:
❤️ forced proximity
❤️ rivals to lovers
❤️ letter writing
❤️ anxiety representation

Briana Ortiz is having a difficult time finding the good in life. Her younger brother is on dialysis and looking for a kidney donor, her divorce is being finalized, and the job promotion she’s been looking forward to keeps being pushed back. Enter Dr. Jacob Maddox to the mix, the new handsome Doctor who didn’t have a good first impression with Briana, and Briana’s life turns completely upside down. To apologize for their rough start, he sends her a letter.

The letter is just the beginning to Briana and Jacob’s love story. There’s sob closet lunch meetings, 3 hour phone calls in the rain, and an elaborate fake-dating plan to prove that Jacob is finally over his ex-gf before she marries his brother. As Briana and Jacob begin to spend more time together, sparks fly and this fake-dating might just start to feel real.

We have a second-chance at romance for both Briana and Jacob, the fake-dating trope, and the one-bed trope.

Yours Truly demonstrates that it’s never too late to fall in love again and that what truly matters is showing up for those you love. Being completely and utterly harmless in the company of one another. Accepting one another, despite past trauma and social anxiety and loving them through bracing imperfections.

I absolutely adored this book! I couldn't put it down, unless I needed to take a deep breath from it pulling on my heart strings! This book is EVERYTHING I want when I pick up a romance.

A misunderstanding first meeting, a slow building friendship, longing, writing notes back and forth, SWOON. Jacob is what I always want in a book boyfriend and then some! Top Book Boyfriend Award for 2023 goes to Jacob, I'm already calling it!

Where Abby stands apart as an author is her ability to take on real life issues and topics that are heavy, but still balance it all within a love story and a touch of humor. In this book Jacob lives with social anxiety, and I have NEVER seen such an accurate representation before as I have in this book. I think this is probably her best work yet.

The only complaint about the book is the "miscommunication/assumptions made and never talked about" trope went on way too long.

I am very thankful for the advance copy from NetGalley, Forever Pub and Abby Jimenez because this will probably stand out as one of my favorite reads all year.

I have read all of Abby Jimenez’s books (more than once) and this may end up being one of my favorites. She has a way of creating authentic characters that are easy to empathize with and cheer on, which makes it easy to get completely invested in the story. Briana is smart, loyal, and wickedly funny, but for me, the real star here is Jacob. The way Abby wrote about his day-to-day struggles with anxiety brought me to tears more than once. It was apparent that she took great care in accurately representing what living with anxiety looks like, which led to the creation of a gentle, deep, caring character that is one of THE best we have seen over her five books. I am a sucker for an “enemies to friends to lovers” slow burn, and seeing Bri and Jacob’s friendship blossom through letters was such a joy. I wish we had gotten even more letters, but it was understandable given how the relationship progressed (and the ending was the perfect bow on the letters storyline).

I did grow frustrated over the frequent miscommunications between Bri and Jacob, especially as we became more and more invested in their relationship. I kept hoping that they would just sit down and have a heart-to-heart like the two grown adults professionals they were but it didn’t happen. However, I can appreciate tropes even if they are not my favorites, and it didn’t make me enjoy the overall story any less (gimme all the pining and yearning!!). Overall I really enjoyed this book and will eagerly read it again when it is released.

Lastly, thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Abby Jimenez’s last book so I was extra excited to get my hands on Yours Truly and it did not disappoint!!

This book had a lot of my favorite things; love letters/notes, dual pov, the fake dating trope, and so much more. I genuinely enjoyed the main characters & their families, they were a fun bunch. This book had me smiling a ton!

I absolutely adored Bri & Jacob!! I loved the way they were there for each other in different ways but ultimately always supporting one another & helping them get through whatever they were struggling with. I loved how much they just got each other and their playful jokes with one another.

I did think the end of the book moved a little more quickly than I would have liked but I still really enjoyed it! I will say there is a trope at play towards the end that I know many will not love, but I actually didn’t mind it! Overall, I loved this book and had fun reading it!

I love the fake dating trope and "Yours Truly" did not disappoint!! I quickly devoured all of Abby's books within a couple months and I'm addicted and need more. She has a way of getting you hooked within the first couple chapters and unable to put it down. All of her characters are so funny and lovable. I haven't laughed that hard in awhile while reading her books and Abby Jimenez has quickly become an insta-buy author for me. If she writes it, I'm going to consume it in all shapes and forms.

I've written a review on Goodreads, but I'd just like to thank you for the arc copy and opportunity to read and review this masterpiece. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy when April rolls around!

Review linked below.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5120893290

Words don’t even begin to express how much I loved This book. This is by far my favorite book abby has written to date. The banter was incredible. I laughed and even shed a tear. I felt like I knew the characters. I could completely relate to the anxiety of life and I felt scene. Wow just wow!

I am going to gush! I loved this book so much. Brianna and Jacob felt like real people and their interactions felt real. I was instantly invested in them . They were both such such kind and loving people who took care of one another and the others in their lives. I liked that, although they were sizzling hot for each other it was the meeting of their hearts that was featured the most. So their was just the right mix of love and lust. The author packed a lot into this book fake dating, social anxiety,quirky families, divorce, illness,pen pals,trust issues, lots of pregnancies and some how she made it work. My favorite parts were the fact that they got to know each other through letters.all the cute moments like catch phrases, dead animal retrieval, xfinty,crazy grandpa, crazy parrots and of course how they actively loved each other and took care of each other. My only criticism is just the down fall of the fake dating trope. It drives me crazy when they are obviously head over heels and one or both of them doesn’t realize it. But that is try of most fake dating books. In this story once they finally get through the ups and downs it is all well worth it. This was such a sweet and adorable book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

“We’re all a little broken, Briana. We are a mosaic. We’re made up of all those we’ve met and 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. Even the ones you wish didn’t exist.”

My god the miscommunication in this one was rough. I get it, it’s a trope but damn it didn’t need to be in every single chapter. Literally lost count of how many times one of them said “oh but this not real it’ll be over in a few months” while clearly that was not the case. I usually don’t mind this trope too much but it really got to me in this one. It was just really repetitive. Like yes, we get it. It literally says it on the back of the book.

Anyways. Jacob was amazing. He struggles with anxiety and the way it was written and how he and Briana managed it was so accurate that it hurt. He was so relatable! And it was nice to see anxiety being represented in such a positive light. He really held this story together for me because I just loved his character so much. I will say, Abby does a wonderful job at writing relatable characters!

Jacob really is the sweetest human and he deserves the world, and I don’t think Briana really treated him well throughout the entire story. Yes at the end she slowly started to redeem herself and I understand the whole trauma aspect, but I just wanted to yell at her and tell her to open her eyes. And I wanted to give Jacob a hug of course.

The letters aspect was wonderful. I’m always a sucker for stories with handwritten letters. And the ending chapter before the epilogue was also really good I thought. It wrapped things up in a way that made sense.

“There’s a special peace in sleeping next to someone you love. When you slip into the dark holding them and wake up and they’re still there and you know that everything that matters is just opening your eyes away.”

I loved Jacob's sincerity and Briana's wit so so much. I loved the kidney donation storyline and seeing Benny transform, I loved the insight into Jacob's anxiety and how Briana did so much to make sure he felt safe. It was darling. I just wish the communication had been a little more solid.