“I don’t think anyone had ever written me a letter before. It was shockingly effective. Way better than text or email, like it had a different weight to it or something. 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.”
Yours Truly is another outstanding rom-com by Abby Jimenez.
Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.
And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse.
To say that I was excited about this book is an understatement. Yours Truly is one of my most highly anticipated books for 2023. I loved Bri’s character in Part of Your World and could not wait to read her own love story. Compared to Abby’s previous books, Yours Truly has such a different vibe. There isn’t as much spice in this book, and the story has a slower feel.
One of the great things about a book written by Abby is you are not just getting your run-of-the-mill rom-com. All of her books (this one included) tackle series issues, have a tremendous amount of depth, and have characters that are so real and relatable. Every time I read one of her books, I feel so many different emotions.
If you are a fan of medical romances, then you will love hanging out with Bri and Jacob, who are both doctors. Surprisingly I enjoyed all the medical bits in this book. I found it incredibly interesting, and it complements the overall story. It was great watching Bri and Jacob excel at their jobs, and listening to their horror stories from the ER was funny.
Bri and Jacob are amazing characters, and I adore everything about them. First, let’s talk about Bri. We met her in the previous book, Part of Your World. She was Alexis’s best friend. Bri’s life has hit a rough patch. Her brother is sick and needs a kidney transplant, her divorce is about to be finalized, and she lives in her childhood bedroom. Bri is one of those characters you love hanging out with. She has this outgoing, caring personality, and it appears like she has her shit together. But underneath that exterior, she is a wreck. Watching her try to care for her little brother hit me in the heart. I’m a big sister, and I know how hard it is to see your brother suffering and feel there is nothing you can do to help him. Bri’s emotional reaction to her brother’s situation made her feel so human. Bri also struggles with trusting men. Her father and ex-husband did a number on her, and she doesn’t want to open up her hurt to another man. I loved watching Bri grow and slowly (very slowly) start to trust Jacob with her heart.
Jacob is a sweetheart! He has high social anxiety, and it was heartbreaking and interesting watching how he navigates through the world around him. Abby did a great job showing readers how anxiety can affect every aspect of a person’s life. Jacob has to make sure that his life is structured and that he knows what will happen next, or he could have a breakdown. I have a few people in my life who have anxiety like Jacob has, and I was blown away at how accurate Abby was when describing Jacob’s life, how his mind works, and the emotional highs and lows he goes through. Even though Jacob struggles with anxiety, he is still considerate to everyone around him and had me melting whenever he would do something super sweet for Bri. I just wanted to hug him.
The relationship between Bri and Jacob has this slow-burn feel to it. There was some MAJOR MAJOR pining in this book from both Bri and Jacob. These two had it bad for one another almost right from the very beginning. Jacob started falling for Bri from the moment he saw her, and Bri started falling for Jacob as they were writing letters to each other. But they keep their feelings a secret because of miscommunications and past hurts. These two don’t get together until we are 80% into the book, which is pretty late for an Abby book. Part of me liked Bri and Jacob’s romance, and part of me didn’t. I loved the letters these two wrote to each other. A handwritten note is always so personal and thoughtful. I enjoyed watching these two get to know each other; their conversations were witty, thoughtful, and in-depth. They wanted good things for each other and would do anything to ensure the other person was happy—so many cute moments happened between them. What drove me a little crazy was how long it took for them to get together finally. There were so many moments when I thought they would finally get together, and then something would happen to prevent them from making a move. It felt like it was dragging at times.
Yours Truly is a must-read for any rom-com fan.
Thank you, Forever, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
