Wow! Abby has done it again. Yours Truly made me laugh, cry, and re-read. The tiny details that she weaves into Jacob and Brianna’s stories are amazing. The intricacies of his anxiety, how Brianna just understands him, to working through her past traumas: I am amazed. The plot is real and the details are plenty. I especially loved the “Easter eggs” from this author’s past books and how the inn in Wakan is still matchmaking!
“Yours Truly” is a must read! Again and Again.

This book was everything. It was poignant and beautiful and has left me feeling haunted – I can’t stop thinking about it, and I’m scrabbling to try to find a way to simplify and express how this read impacted me. I am not one to give out five stars very freely, but Yours Truly is a five star read for me. It is, in my opinion, the best Abby Jimenez book to date and is now my favorite of hers. This is one that will stick with me, in the best way possible, and I’m so excited to share it with others and recommend.

Trying to put into words why I loved this one is hard – as I said, I honestly can’t stop thinking about it. There was so much going on in this story and I’m struggling to classify it – it’s a romance, and a romantic comedy, and a romantic drama… There was so much depth and heart. This book had me crying and laughing and crying again. It was heartfelt and wonderful, and very emotional.

There are so many pieces I loved about this book, that it’s hard to put into words. I’ll start with our leads Jacob and Briana. I loved them both for very different reasons, and I loved how because of their differences they fit together so perfectly. Perfectly imperfect for one another and choosing to show up for each other. Jacob was everything. He was so sweet, and just an amazing human being and so relatable. I loved getting to see the lens of his experience of Anxiety and Panic Disorder and how it impacted him and his life. I thought he was amazing. I loved that Briana was such a strong person and had such a bright personality, but we still got to see her struggles and vulnerabilities – I loved seeing a divorced main character too and getting to see that experience for her. I also just loved how those two kept trying to understand, appreciate and show up for one another. Not trying to invalidate one another’s experiences or change each other, just appreciating each other and loving the mosaic.

The topics covered in this book were handled with such grace – these were some hard ones to talk about and see play out on the page: chronic kidney condition, anxiety and panic disorder, depression, trauma… and that’s just some of what was touched on.

I can’t believe I’m leaving it so late to mention, but the epistolary element! Always a favorite for me and this was done so well – my heart. 💖

Thank you to Netgalley and Read Forever Pub for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book. 💖💖

Thank you for NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Abby Jimenez for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Yours Truly follows Briana Ortiz, who readers of Abby Jimenez’s Part of Your World will remember as Alexis’ sassy, strong-willed, and fellow ER doctor best friend. Briana is just trying to make it day by day after living through one of the toughest years of her life: her brother has gone into kidney failure and can’t seem to find a donor match; her husband of 10 years cheated on her with someone who was supposedly a friend; her divorce to said husband is finalized is just a few weeks; her best friend found the love of her life (which is amazing) but now lives far away; and suddenly the job she thought she had secured as Cheif of Emergency Medicine doesn’t seem so secure when a new Doctor comes to town. Dr. Jacob Maddox has just moved to town looking for a change in scenery: what else are you supposed to do when your little brother is now engaged to be married to your ex-girlfriend you worked with? Now he is in an unfamiliar work place, an unfamiliar town, around unfamiliar faces, and balancing his family drama which means his anxiety is at an all time high. From here our two MC’s met and the tensions thickens. Many letters later, one kidney donation, a fake dating scheme, and you can figure out the rest…

This may be my favorite Abby Jimenez book yet. All of Jimenez’s books have been solid reads for me, but I honestly didn’t think any book could top Life’s Too Short, which I whole-heartedly loved. However, Yours Truly is an absolute MASTERPIECE. The plot, the characters, the little Easter eggs and callbacks to Jimenez’s previous books, the flow of the story, the way difficult topics were handled, LITERALLY EVERYTHING. I can’t even contain my emotions for all the love I have for this book.

First, Dr. Jacob freakin’ Maddox. He may be one of my favorite MMC’s ever written. The way Ms. Abby Jimenez was able to develop him so thoroughly and completely was beautiful. I loved that she fleshed out Jacob and his anxiety, both internally and externally. I also loved that Jacob grew from when he was first introduced to where he ended up, but it wasn’t a growth to where he changed himself for Briana, but where he felt accepted by the person he loved (because she took the time to understand him and the problems he had with social settings/what made him uncomfortable) and they worked together to find solutions. Although there’s were definitely times they struggled, the communication showed there between the two was beautiful. I also loved that Jacob never left, but continue to push through and stay for Briana through the good, the bad, the ugly, and the best. He was funny, sweet, shy, tenacious, compassionate, and everything in between. Just literally the PERFECT MMC for this kind of story.

Now, for my girl Briana. She resonated with me so deeply. Add her to my list of FMC’s I feel like we’re written for my soul, because Briana Ortiz we are soul sisters. FIRST OFF, the glitter killed me. I died laughing. The comment about anger and needing your best friend to keep you from exploding also hit him (because my bff knows without her I would just be a rage ball 24/7😂). Her understanding and willingness to meet Jacob where he was made me so happy; she didn’t push him to be someone he wasn’t. She stood up for him against people he treated him badly just because of something they didn’t understand. (what an enneagram 8, am I right?) She also pushed people away before they could hurt her (again, she enneagram 8 point above lol). Also, her love and desperation for her brother hit me in my heart. As an older sister I felt her pain/sorrow/desperation in my gut. I just felt like I could relate so deeply to her emotions and fears, and that made her character so relatable to me. I also loved how when she realized she was wrong, she immediately apologized. AND, the scene of her reading Jacob’s journal in the hospital chapel had me in tears, and I still haven’t received.

Finally, I loved the plot of this book. I am always down for a fake dating plot, ANY TIME ANY PLACE. It’s just a classic #sorrynotsorry. But, before we even got to that good time, we have a series of freaking letters. HAND WRITTEN LETTERS. Let me tell you, as a words of affirmations girl, if I wasn’t already in love with Dr. Jacob Maddox’s sweet soul, the moment I read that he wrote Briana a HANDWRITTEN APOLOGY LETTER with a CUSTOK ORDER CUPCAKE I was a goner. And then they kept it up like little cute penpals. I couldn’t handle it, I was crying happy sappy love tears. Then he finds out he can donate a kidney and thjngs get better, then the fake dating and the tension and it is SO GOOD. Obviously we get the tension and the miscommunication (because we gotta have that). But let me tell you, I wasn’t expecting the Nick twist towards the end of the book. And that GUTTED ME. But I actually kind of liked it, because I felt like Briana hadn’t dealt with all of her past and that really pushed it to the forefront. And I loved that Jacob stayed through the entire ordeal, steadfast and assuring. The journal scene (as I said above) may be my favorite scene (or at least one of them) in the entire book. And the ending was just the icing on the cake.

As you can see, this book was amazing and I am obsessed. I cannot wait until it is released so that I can buy it and read it all over again. PLEASE do yourself a favor and read Abby Jimenez’s books. They are THAT good.

Once again, Abby produces a laugh out loud, make you want to cry and smile at the same time kind of book. Bri and Jacob have a great love story building with ups and downs throughout the whole book. So many personal moments throughout the book making you love the characters even more. One of my favorite parts was how the “Yours Truly” theme came full circle at the end. I also love how Abby ties in past characters from her previous books. It is like finding little Easter Eggs throughout the story. Yours Truly will take you on a roller coaster of emotions and as always leave you smiling and wanting more.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars

If you read Part of Your World (and I recommend it if you haven’t) then you've met Briana. This is her story and it’s so good!

Briana is an ER doctor, recently divorced and her younger brother needs a kidney. Enter the newest addition to the ER, Jacob, also an ER doctor, and the two main characters get off to a rocky start! It’s rivals for a hot second to friends to fake dating to lovers! The book has quirky family and dogs😍!, and there’s a Hmong reference (so rare!) Also, there’s only one bed at some point and It is a torturous slow burn!

Jacob struggles with anxiety and Abby Jimenez portrays this with the compassion and sensitivity that I’ve come to take for granted in her books.

Briana may come off as an unlikeable heroine to some people but I loved her. She’s so competent, authentic, loyal, responsible and her revenge on her douchey ex-husband is awesome!

What I loved most was the level of vulnerability that both MC’s had and how they were able to learn to understand and support each other and come together and bang! No, but seriously, the way they fall in love is sigh-worthy, despite the massive lack of communication over one thing that was very frustrating.

A couple of things I wish were different: I wish that the epilogue had been in Briana’s POV. It was her book and then it ended as Jacob’s book, which was okay, but I was left wanting. I also feel that Jimenez tends to rush her endings, and I wish she’d spend another chapter or two wrapping things up. That said, I am a fan of all of Jimenez’s books and this one is my favorite so far.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

#YoursTruly #AbbyJimenez #ReadForeverPub #NetGalley #Romance #Bookstagram #ReadingRomance

This was one of my favorite reads of the year! Yours Truly follows Briana and Jacob as their "fake romance" starts to turn into something more. Told from both of their perspectives, they each love the other without realizing the feelings are mutual. Their banter is hilarious, their chemistry is swoon-worthy, and their commitment to the mantra that "love shows up" is inspiring. Briana and Jacob's families are so lovable and the cameos by friends Alexis and Daniel, the best! Another must read by Abby Jimenez!

Abby has done it again!

I loved this book so much, it is definitely my favorite book of hers to date.

I absolutely loved Bri in Part of Your World, and she really shines as the main heroine of this story. She has such a big heart, but has truly been struggling after her divorce and her brothers diagnosis. To top it off, there’s a new doctor at the hospital, and he’s also in the running for the job she is going for.

Jacob transfers to Royaume, and has a hard time finding his place in the hospital. With bad first impressions, and crippling anxiety, he comes off as rude and hard to like.

After writing notes back and forth, Bri learns Jacob isn’t as awful and heartless as she thinks, he just has an hard time communicating, and Jacob learns there’s more to Bri as well.

This book is just a joy to read. There’s so much heart in all of Abby’s books, and I love everything she writes!

An absolute delight. It's been a while since I found myself truly lost in a story, and this one did the trick. Though the basic plot is familiar, the people who inhabit this book aren't, and I felt myself relating to them at the start, and ultimately loving them. Highly recommended!

I really enjoyed this modern day romance. Had both humor and seriousness. Touched on social anxiety which has become very calm nowadays. Highly recommend. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #NetGalley #YoursTruly

I love this book. I loved how the main characters balanced each other out. How they became more themselves together, and the story developed with them, instead of the plot feeling forced. Abby Jimenez has a way of melding heartfelt emotional stories with humor, wit, and characters you can’t help but root for. I appreciated how the characters issues didn’t just disappear because they loved each other but instead they became stronger because they had someone who understood them. All the supporting characters were delightful and I enjoyed seeing past book characters again! No doubt would recommend this book!

Abby does it again! At this point, I’m not even surprised. She needs to clone herself so we get multiple books a year!

Wow… this story touched me in a way that it very hard to put into words.

First off, the characters in this book were easily some of the best I’ve read all year. Bri and Jacob are beautifully written. Bri was hilarious, loving, so caring towards her brother, and so attentive to Jacob and his triggers. And Jacob… whew. I felt so seen by him at times. I struggle with anxiety, and sometimes it felt like he was IN my head. Truly. I applaud you Abby Jimenez for taking such care with his character. It really meant a lot.

This book also has one of the purest, truest forms of love I have ever read. These two were so selfish with each other. They were constantly thinking about the other - what they were thinking, what they were feeling, how something would affect them, etc. I felt their love in my CHEST.

This book made me swoon. It made me blush. It made me giggle and laugh out loud. It made me emotional… it made me cry. But it was soooo so worth it. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for this ARC.

Part of your World altered my brain chemistry when I read it back in July of 2022. It was everything I wanted in a romance book and scratched an itch in the back of my brain that I didn't even know was there. After meeting Bri as a side character in that book and seeing little glimpses about her life I was ecstatic to learn that she would be getting her own love story and it didn't disappoint! Bri was as funny and charismatic as she was in POYW and I loved being in the side of her head. She is a character that is impossible not to love. 

Then there is Jacob. Jacob, Jacob, Jacob. As someone who also struggles with social anxiety and is a major introvert, his character hit a little too close to home throughout the book. At times it was like holding up a mirror to my inner thoughts and putting it on display for the entire world to see. His social anxiety was handled with such care. I am in awe. Like Daniel from POYW Jacob is the ultimate cinnamon roll hero (an introverted cinnamon roll obviously). He and Bri are so well matched for each other. I could FEEL their love. I didn't expect for this to be a slow-burn romance given how POYW played out but this slow burn was BURNING!! Watching Jacob and Bri evolve from strangers to friends to lovers was beautiful. They took the time to learn each other and SHOW UP for each other time and time again!!! Don't even get me started on the letters!!!! I was tearing up reading a few of them.

Other things I loved:
- The dialogue!! The banter between Bri and Jacob was everything!! I even love the conversations between Bri and his family members. Very funny and heartfelt and real!

- Jacob and Bri's immediate family!! Benny broke my heart and put it back together. I was so happy for him by the end of this book. Jacob's grandfather was HILARIOUS and I love his mom!!

I do wish that plot was a little more ironed out. They played up the chief of emergency medicine position at the beginning and then that was dropped and never really talked about again until the epilogue. Secondly, Levi's character really came out of nowhere and felt random. Since his relationship with Bri caused Jacob much anxiety I wish he would've been introduced earlier in the book or we saw the moment of them meeting up to get drinks with Levi and his new gf. I also wish that this book contained a bit more of the magic that made POYW so special but I'm happy for the little bit we got of them in Wakan and seeing that the universe also wanted Bri and Jacob together as much as it wanted Daniel and Alexis together.

Overall I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! I highlighted so many things. In one chapter alone I had over 30 highlights!!! Abby Jimenez was writing like her rent, gas, and electric were due!! I have grown very attached to this little universe she has created and can't wait to see what she does next!

I loved this book. I love how there are laugh out loud parts such as the Taco Bell and flowers on date night part! I had to tell my husband why I was laughing while reading the book, he said the flowers cover the smell of the diarrhea!! The book also touched on real life emotions and trauma which made it hard to put down. I love how Abby brings in part of her world with Nadia Cakes. Any book by Abby is an instant read for me! Please keep them coming!

I have a bone to pick with Abby Jimenez - I had to wake up for work at 7:30am yet didn't fall asleep until 4am because I was up all night reading this book because I quite literally couldn't put it down.

This is by far my favorite of Abby's books (and that's saying something because I have truly loved all of them).

Fake dating trope? Check
Brilliant back and forth letter banter? Check
Laugh out loud moments? Check
Cinnamon roll hero too pure for this world? Double check

There's really nothing I can say besides this is a must read story. While this book does tackle some heavy subjects (mostly severe social anxiety) it's not as heavy as Abby's other books so I think this is great read if you're looking for something on the lighter/fluffier side.

5/5 stars!

Abby Jimenez has done it again! This was such a perfect follow up to Part of Your World (which has been one of my few 5 star books of 2022!). I loved following Bri and Jacob’s love story. The fake dating trope can be a little over done sometimes and she nailed it. She also did a great job depicting anxiety and male mental health in general. As a nurse I also appreciated seeing Chronic Kidney Disease and organ donation thoughtfully and accurately woven into the storyline. Can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next!

3.75!
I really enjoyed reading this! I'm leaning more toward 3.75 stars rather than 4 because the miscommunication that comes with fake dating is something that makes me so frustrated lol! Toward the end, I was just getting a little annoyed with that. Also, don't get me wrong, I LOVE fake dating, but I will admit the trope is becoming a little overdone in romance novels. There's a typical sequence of events in fake dating, and it's okay for romance novels to be predictable, but we all know how fake dating goes so it gets repetitive.

Anyway, I LOVED Jacob's character. I've never read about someone with social anxiety that felt so realistic and relatable. I loved that Briana understood his anxiety and didn't push him outside his comfort zone. I really felt their chemistry from the beginning; I thought it was so sweet how they wrote each other letters in the beginning because it was easier for Jacob to communicate that way until he got to know her better. I just thought Jacob was the perfect man. I don't want anyone if they don't love me as wholeheartedly as he did Briana.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Forever/Grand Central Publishing for this ARC!

Abby Jimenez is one of my favorite rom-com writers. I have read all of her novels and although this one is not my favorite, it is still a five star read.

Jacob is the new ER doctor and his first day is not going well - all of his patients didn’t make it. When Jacob’s brother, Jeremiah, and Jacob’s ex-girlfriend, Amy, announce their engagement, Jacob hastily admits he has a new girlfriend to keep the family calm… but he doesn’t… enter Briana. Briana is about to finalize the divorce from her husband of 10 years who had been cheating on her. She has trouble trusting men, but agrees to the farce of being Jacob’s girlfriend. Can they both overcome their hardships to maybe trust each other enough to move on?

I loved these characters and after reading the afterwards about Abby Jimenez, I respect the book even more. Abby does a great job balancing hard topics, by bringing attention and emotion, but also adding some humor to lighten the topic.

Thanks Forever and Netgalley for giving the opportunity to access this ARC. A great book to consider for book club, especially with the discussion questions in the back.

October 11, 2022
Four and a half, rounded up. Part of Your World maintains its spot as my favorite Abby book but this one is next. I loved Briana. This one made me laugh and cry. My only nitpick issue with it is that early on three male doctors are talking about her and refer to her as a bulldog, which I loathe because I get it at work too. Assertive, take no crap men are just….men, but assertive, take no crap women are bulldogs. What an unflattering image that brings to mind.

Anyway, I was so excited NetGalley approved me for an advanced copy! I was simultaneously hoping I would get approved and kind of hoping I wouldn’t because now it will be a REALLY long time before I get to read a new Abby book.

I loved this book, I knew within the first 3 chapters I was going to enjoy it but by the end I was sad it was over because I wanted to live with Jacob and Briana for longer. This book was laugh out loud funny but also had movements where I cried. It was such a wholesome romance with just the right amount of spice. I will 100% be buying a physical copy of this book ASAP to add to my shelf as it's going to be a book I return to over and over again. Also the dog being named after a character from Forest Gump, too funny. Jacob makes it into my top 10 book boyfriends for sure. This is a must read!!