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Nominee for the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards
Part of Your World #2
Yours Truly
A novel of terrible first impressions, hilarious second chances, and the joy in finding your perfect match.
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.
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.
416 pages, Paperback
First published April 11, 2023
About the author
Abby Jimenez
7 books22.3k followersAbby Jimenez is a Food Network winner, New York Times best selling author, and recipient of the 2022 Minnesota Book Award for her novel Life's Too Short. Abby founded Nadia Cakes out of her home kitchen back in 2007. The bakery has since gone on to win numerous Food Network competitions and, like her books, has amassed an international following.
Abby loves a good romance, coffee, doglets, and not leaving the house.
Abby loves a good romance, coffee, doglets, and not leaving the house.
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September 11, 2022Bri's book!!! And I'm so excited for you to finally meet Jacob—my best cinnamon roll yet and by far my favorite hero of all time.
A couple of trigger warnings for you before you read:
Chronic kidney disease, divorced main character whose ex husband cheated, depression, clinical anxiety, and mention of pregnancy loss and suicide.
As always I've used sensitivity readers and mental health advisors to help me depict these delicate subjects with care and accuracy. Thank you for loving my books and making it possible for me to keep writing these stories I adore. Don't forget to pre-order! Signed copies available through Magers and Quinn ❤
A couple of trigger warnings for you before you read:
Chronic kidney disease, divorced main character whose ex husband cheated, depression, clinical anxiety, and mention of pregnancy loss and suicide.
As always I've used sensitivity readers and mental health advisors to help me depict these delicate subjects with care and accuracy. Thank you for loving my books and making it possible for me to keep writing these stories I adore. Don't forget to pre-order! Signed copies available through Magers and Quinn ❤
April 25, 2023
i just think more heroes should be willing to hate themselves a little 🥹❤️
this obviously ticked all my damn boxes, especially my downstairs one. love seeing people who have been hurt find their perfect match. bonus points for angsty miscommunication.
this obviously ticked all my damn boxes, especially my downstairs one. love seeing people who have been hurt find their perfect match. bonus points for angsty miscommunication.
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May 8, 2023protect Jacob at all costs
July 17, 2023
Abby Jimenez books like chicken soup for soul with a little extra spice that refers the angsty parts! They actually have healing powers, embracing both of your heart and soul and whispering your ear; “ everything is gonna be okay”
As soon as I read the plot about two broken hearted souls’ second chances story that started with enemies to lovers trope mixes with fake dating, I knew I would love this book so much!
Part of your world’s Alexis’ best friend ER doctor Brianna Ortiz finally got her own book.
Brianna is dealing with the shittiest year of hers: her baby brother suffers from autoimmune disease and he urgently needs a kidney transplant. Their father who left them 3 decades ago rejects to help him. None of the family members are the ideal match!
Poor Brianna also finalized her divorce with her cheating husband she’s spent 10 years of her life. The worst part is he’s having a longtime relationship with one of her best friends behind his back!
Speaking about the a.holes ; new charming ER doctor Jacob Maddox who also has another worst kind of relationship experience. His self absorbed, extra energetic girlfriend starts dating with his brother after only three months passed from their breakup! Oh this is not the worst part: she also said yes to marry with him!
Jacob already deals with anxiety issues and he is forced to work this new hospital to stay away from her ex ( ironically she’s going to be part of his family so there’s no way to get rid of her. They’re stuck with each other forever)
The first day at job is truly disastrous for Jacob: he loses 7 patients in one day, earning the grudge of nurses who find him socially awkward. They called him “ Doctor Death” even though he doesn’t have any resemblance with Joshua Jackson!
And a few days later he accidentally achieves to alienate Brianna by making an abrupt comment about her brother’s condition.
Because of his anxiety issues he has hard time to express his true feelings so he decides to pour his feelings into writing, leaving a letter to Brianna.
As soon as Brianna reads it, she realizes she wasn’t fair with him so they continue to write letters for each other and a genuine friendship starts blooming around them.
When Brianna finds out her brother has an anonymous donor for transplant, she cannot be happier! She accidentally finds out the donor is Jacob! She feels extra ashamed to treat him so rude in the beginning of the relationship and for compensation of her mistreat she accepts to fake date him throughout the family gatherings till his ex and his brother’s wedding.
But as they start to spend more time and know each other, both of them realize they cannot fake anymore. But the emotional baggages they have been carrying may be the biggest obstacles against their happily ever after!
I was so close to give five stars to this book! I loved Jacob, her eccentric family, her nosy sisters and his cigarette addict grandfather a lot!
But Brianna made me so pissed off. It was understandable that she had trust issues but she just kept thinking worst of Jacob and compare him with her ex! She took her entire frustration out on him. And this was extremely unfair for sweet Jacob who made so many sacrifices for her! He was so adorable, sweetest human being.
So I cut one star because of extra annoying heroine and giving my four sweet- swoon- angsty-tear jerker- lighthearted stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever( Grand Central Publishing) for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
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As soon as I read the plot about two broken hearted souls’ second chances story that started with enemies to lovers trope mixes with fake dating, I knew I would love this book so much!
Part of your world’s Alexis’ best friend ER doctor Brianna Ortiz finally got her own book.
Brianna is dealing with the shittiest year of hers: her baby brother suffers from autoimmune disease and he urgently needs a kidney transplant. Their father who left them 3 decades ago rejects to help him. None of the family members are the ideal match!
Poor Brianna also finalized her divorce with her cheating husband she’s spent 10 years of her life. The worst part is he’s having a longtime relationship with one of her best friends behind his back!
Speaking about the a.holes ; new charming ER doctor Jacob Maddox who also has another worst kind of relationship experience. His self absorbed, extra energetic girlfriend starts dating with his brother after only three months passed from their breakup! Oh this is not the worst part: she also said yes to marry with him!
Jacob already deals with anxiety issues and he is forced to work this new hospital to stay away from her ex ( ironically she’s going to be part of his family so there’s no way to get rid of her. They’re stuck with each other forever)
The first day at job is truly disastrous for Jacob: he loses 7 patients in one day, earning the grudge of nurses who find him socially awkward. They called him “ Doctor Death” even though he doesn’t have any resemblance with Joshua Jackson!
And a few days later he accidentally achieves to alienate Brianna by making an abrupt comment about her brother’s condition.
Because of his anxiety issues he has hard time to express his true feelings so he decides to pour his feelings into writing, leaving a letter to Brianna.
As soon as Brianna reads it, she realizes she wasn’t fair with him so they continue to write letters for each other and a genuine friendship starts blooming around them.
When Brianna finds out her brother has an anonymous donor for transplant, she cannot be happier! She accidentally finds out the donor is Jacob! She feels extra ashamed to treat him so rude in the beginning of the relationship and for compensation of her mistreat she accepts to fake date him throughout the family gatherings till his ex and his brother’s wedding.
But as they start to spend more time and know each other, both of them realize they cannot fake anymore. But the emotional baggages they have been carrying may be the biggest obstacles against their happily ever after!
I was so close to give five stars to this book! I loved Jacob, her eccentric family, her nosy sisters and his cigarette addict grandfather a lot!
But Brianna made me so pissed off. It was understandable that she had trust issues but she just kept thinking worst of Jacob and compare him with her ex! She took her entire frustration out on him. And this was extremely unfair for sweet Jacob who made so many sacrifices for her! He was so adorable, sweetest human being.
So I cut one star because of extra annoying heroine and giving my four sweet- swoon- angsty-tear jerker- lighthearted stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever( Grand Central Publishing) for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
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This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ Loved the first half, but the second half lost me
"I'm broken." The hopeless way she said it made tears pinch from my eyes.
"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."
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ fake dating romance
✨ co-workers / doctors
✨ anxious, cinnamon roll hero
✨ depressed, kind heroine
✨ both are recovering from a recent breakup/divorce
✨ exchanging letters
✨ miscommunication
✨ so much angst
✨ dual POV
✨topics addressed: anxiety, depression, infidelity (cheating ex), divorce, miscarriage, family member with kidney failure
This review is hard for me to write because the things I loved about the story make me want to give it a higher rating. But the things I disliked are what's making me leave it as is. I was full-on in love with this story for probably the first 50% to the point I was sure I'd be giving it 5-stars. But around the 50% and onward mark, I noticed things I didn't quite like.
What I liked:
Jacob. I loved everything about this man. He's so sweet, understanding, considerate, and caring. He's also incredibly self-aware and manages his anxiety in a healthy way. Jacob isn't perfect, but he tries his best to be. If he does something wrong, he'll try to fix it. If he's hurt someone, he'll apologize. He's so selfless he even donates his kidney to a stranger! He's also got a beautiful home, a sunroom filled with plants, and a three-legged dog! Where do they make men like him??? Jacob is one of the most loveable male characters I've ever come across while reading, and I want him to be happy in this fictional world. 💕
Brianna. What a firecracker! She is smart, fierce, fun, loyal, and kind. But she also has a secret crazy side where if you mess with her or the people she loves, she'll come for you! She cares so much for those around her (like Benny), even at her own expense. I absolutely adored Bri and laughed so hard when we found out exactly how she responded to her cheating husband.
The letter exchanges at the beginning were so adorable! It's not something I've seen done very often in books, but it's such an interesting way for the characters to open up and be vulnerable with one another in a short amount of time. While Bri's letters tended to be more fun and entertaining, Jacob's letters were reflective and sincere. The exchanges were a sweet way for the characters to get to know one another while establishing trust.
Bri and Jacob's romance. The love these two have is the soulmate kind. They were drawn to each other and perfectly fit in a way most people can only dream of. There was so much respect, understanding, patience, love, and passion way before things even progressed physically, so you know what they have is the real deal. I really enjoyed watching them grow together and help each other work through their own issues.
The depth of this story. I was expecting more of a fun, sexy vibe like in Part Of Your World, and while this did have light-hearted, entertaining moments, it was a lot more serious and dealt with some heavy topics. Anxiety is the main focus since Jacob struggles with this, and I think Abby Jimenez did a great job showcasing what it's like to have anxiety and the challenges of managing it. The book also talks about depression, infidelity, divorce, miscarriage, and a family member with kidney failure. None of these topics are easy to discuss, but I think Abby Jimenez did a fairly decent job with them. I do think there may have been so much going on that certain topics were overlooked and quickly wrapped up in the end, but it did work with the story.
What I didn't like:
How Jacob's anxiety somehow isn't as present once he starts spending time with Bri. As someone who struggles with anxiety, it is true that there are some people who can help calm the anxiety. However, the fact Jacob claims to basically have little to no anxiety around Bri (at least when he's not stressing about liking her) is so ridiculous and far-fetched. I think it feeds into the unhealthy belief that being with someone can 'fix your problems'.
There are too many tropes. You've got workplace romance, rivals to lovers, recovering from a breakup, fake dating, stuck together, one-bed, MISCOMMUNICATION, soul mates and I can't even say the last one without spoiling something major. But as you can see, there are quite a few. And while they all worked together, it just made the story unnecessarily complicated.
The slow-burn romance was soooooo slow and was sprinkled with so much MISCOMMUNICATION that it caused too much unnecessary angst. Throughout the story, Brianna and Jacob do things for each other that are obviously actions of love, and both have inner monologues about how they are falling in love with the other, but because of miscommunication, they can't fathom the other person could reciprocate their feelings. These two were a ticking time bomb that finally exploded at the 85% mark when they FINALLY showed romantic feelings for each other by having sex. But soon after, Brianna withdraws, and the angst resumes. While I love their love for one another, watching their relationship evolve was not an enjoyable experience.
PS: There's one sex scene, and it's very abrupt. After making us wait so long for them to get together, I wanted this moment to be drawn out, but it wasn't. So if you are looking for a spicy read, this ain't it.
The inner monologues became incredibly repetitive. I noticed this a little in Part OF Your World and I'd found myself skimming a few sentences. But this happened so frequently in Yours Truly, that I skimmed paragraphs. There were a lot of deep thoughts, which are obviously important, but it felt like the characters were beating a dead horse by talking about the same things over and over again.
No matter what, Amy is and will always be an unlikeable character. From how she's described, she seems to have narcissistic tendencies and needs to learn empathy. At first, we're supposed to dislike Amy and who wouldn't? From how Jacob describes her (based on how she treated him during their relationship), she is self-centered, selfish, and unaware of how her actions affect others. But halfway through the story, the author tries to shift our perspective of her and justify why she left Jacob and ended up dating his brother. Look, I don't really enjoy stories where the ex ends up dating the main character's friend or sibling. It just creates drama that makes me feel extremely icky. But she treated Jacob so poorly and never really apologized for how she overlooked his anxiety during the relationship or for dating his brother 3 months after the breakup. I just can't forgive that. Even Jacob tells Bri that Amy is a 'my way or the highway' type of person while his brother is so 'go with the flow' that they will be a good match. I just . . . no. Amy is inconsiderate of others and is in no way ready to be in a relationship - even if his brother is fine with a partner who will walk all over him. By the end of the book, we're supposed to understand and accept Amy but I just couldn't.
Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
"I'm broken." The hopeless way she said it made tears pinch from my eyes.
"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."
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ fake dating romance
✨ co-workers / doctors
✨ anxious, cinnamon roll hero
✨ depressed, kind heroine
✨ both are recovering from a recent breakup/divorce
✨ exchanging letters
✨ miscommunication
✨ so much angst
✨ dual POV
✨topics addressed: anxiety, depression, infidelity (cheating ex), divorce, miscarriage, family member with kidney failure
This review is hard for me to write because the things I loved about the story make me want to give it a higher rating. But the things I disliked are what's making me leave it as is. I was full-on in love with this story for probably the first 50% to the point I was sure I'd be giving it 5-stars. But around the 50% and onward mark, I noticed things I didn't quite like.
What I liked:
Jacob. I loved everything about this man. He's so sweet, understanding, considerate, and caring. He's also incredibly self-aware and manages his anxiety in a healthy way. Jacob isn't perfect, but he tries his best to be. If he does something wrong, he'll try to fix it. If he's hurt someone, he'll apologize. He's so selfless he even donates his kidney to a stranger! He's also got a beautiful home, a sunroom filled with plants, and a three-legged dog! Where do they make men like him??? Jacob is one of the most loveable male characters I've ever come across while reading, and I want him to be happy in this fictional world. 💕
Brianna. What a firecracker! She is smart, fierce, fun, loyal, and kind. But she also has a secret crazy side where if you mess with her or the people she loves, she'll come for you! She cares so much for those around her (like Benny), even at her own expense. I absolutely adored Bri and laughed so hard when we found out exactly how she responded to her cheating husband.
The letter exchanges at the beginning were so adorable! It's not something I've seen done very often in books, but it's such an interesting way for the characters to open up and be vulnerable with one another in a short amount of time. While Bri's letters tended to be more fun and entertaining, Jacob's letters were reflective and sincere. The exchanges were a sweet way for the characters to get to know one another while establishing trust.
Bri and Jacob's romance. The love these two have is the soulmate kind. They were drawn to each other and perfectly fit in a way most people can only dream of. There was so much respect, understanding, patience, love, and passion way before things even progressed physically, so you know what they have is the real deal. I really enjoyed watching them grow together and help each other work through their own issues.
The depth of this story. I was expecting more of a fun, sexy vibe like in Part Of Your World, and while this did have light-hearted, entertaining moments, it was a lot more serious and dealt with some heavy topics. Anxiety is the main focus since Jacob struggles with this, and I think Abby Jimenez did a great job showcasing what it's like to have anxiety and the challenges of managing it. The book also talks about depression, infidelity, divorce, miscarriage, and a family member with kidney failure. None of these topics are easy to discuss, but I think Abby Jimenez did a fairly decent job with them. I do think there may have been so much going on that certain topics were overlooked and quickly wrapped up in the end, but it did work with the story.
What I didn't like:
How Jacob's anxiety somehow isn't as present once he starts spending time with Bri. As someone who struggles with anxiety, it is true that there are some people who can help calm the anxiety. However, the fact Jacob claims to basically have little to no anxiety around Bri (at least when he's not stressing about liking her) is so ridiculous and far-fetched. I think it feeds into the unhealthy belief that being with someone can 'fix your problems'.
There are too many tropes. You've got workplace romance, rivals to lovers, recovering from a breakup, fake dating, stuck together, one-bed, MISCOMMUNICATION, soul mates and I can't even say the last one without spoiling something major. But as you can see, there are quite a few. And while they all worked together, it just made the story unnecessarily complicated.
The slow-burn romance was soooooo slow and was sprinkled with so much MISCOMMUNICATION that it caused too much unnecessary angst. Throughout the story, Brianna and Jacob do things for each other that are obviously actions of love, and both have inner monologues about how they are falling in love with the other, but because of miscommunication, they can't fathom the other person could reciprocate their feelings. These two were a ticking time bomb that finally exploded at the 85% mark when they FINALLY showed romantic feelings for each other by having sex. But soon after, Brianna withdraws, and the angst resumes. While I love their love for one another, watching their relationship evolve was not an enjoyable experience.
PS: There's one sex scene, and it's very abrupt. After making us wait so long for them to get together, I wanted this moment to be drawn out, but it wasn't. So if you are looking for a spicy read, this ain't it.
The inner monologues became incredibly repetitive. I noticed this a little in Part OF Your World and I'd found myself skimming a few sentences. But this happened so frequently in Yours Truly, that I skimmed paragraphs. There were a lot of deep thoughts, which are obviously important, but it felt like the characters were beating a dead horse by talking about the same things over and over again.
No matter what, Amy is and will always be an unlikeable character. From how she's described, she seems to have narcissistic tendencies and needs to learn empathy. At first, we're supposed to dislike Amy and who wouldn't? From how Jacob describes her (based on how she treated him during their relationship), she is self-centered, selfish, and unaware of how her actions affect others. But halfway through the story, the author tries to shift our perspective of her and justify why she left Jacob and ended up dating his brother. Look, I don't really enjoy stories where the ex ends up dating the main character's friend or sibling. It just creates drama that makes me feel extremely icky. But she treated Jacob so poorly and never really apologized for how she overlooked his anxiety during the relationship or for dating his brother 3 months after the breakup. I just can't forgive that. Even Jacob tells Bri that Amy is a 'my way or the highway' type of person while his brother is so 'go with the flow' that they will be a good match. I just . . . no. Amy is inconsiderate of others and is in no way ready to be in a relationship - even if his brother is fine with a partner who will walk all over him. By the end of the book, we're supposed to understand and accept Amy but I just couldn't.
Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
September 20, 2022
super cute!
honestly, the whole fake dating trope has been so overdone by this point that i dont feel like these kinds of stories add anything new to the genre, and this plot technically doesnt, but holy smokes. the characters!
i fell head over heels for jacob. i love a man who is sweet and jacob is gentleness and kindness and affection personified. and briana is so fiercely loyal and protective of him. they are seriously a match made in heaven.
so while the plot may not be the most unique thing out there, the genuine characters sure make up for it!
thank you for the ARC, forever/grand central publishing.
↠ 4 stars
honestly, the whole fake dating trope has been so overdone by this point that i dont feel like these kinds of stories add anything new to the genre, and this plot technically doesnt, but holy smokes. the characters!
i fell head over heels for jacob. i love a man who is sweet and jacob is gentleness and kindness and affection personified. and briana is so fiercely loyal and protective of him. they are seriously a match made in heaven.
so while the plot may not be the most unique thing out there, the genuine characters sure make up for it!
thank you for the ARC, forever/grand central publishing.
↠ 4 stars
May 31, 2023
MY HEART!!! 😭 This was so good. SO GOOD. I laughed, I cried, I swooned and then I cried some more. The rest of her books are now added to my TBR.
April 16, 2023
As promised, Abby Jimenez has followed up “Part of your World” with Bri’s story, and as always, she delivers!
In fact, she just MAY have set a new record by getting me to tear up for the FIRST time, at just about a third of the way into this story…
D-day (divorce is final) is rapidly approaching for Dr. Briana Ortiz, her brother, Benny is giving up on life-convinced the kidney donor he needs will never be found, thanks to his absent father giving him a rare blood type, and the new Doctor at her hospital, Jacob Maddox may be getting the promotion she wants.
He isn’t making the BEST first Impression.
Little does she know that he took the job at Royaume Northwestern to escape the pain of working at Memorial West with his brother, Jeremiah and his ex girlfriend, Amy, who are now engaged. It also doesn’t help that he suffers from “social anxiety” in new situations.
NEVER say NEVER…
So, he tries to right his first missteps by writing her a good old fashioned letter, as he is much better at expressing himself when he has time to think about his words-and a friendship is born. ✍🏻💌
And, when she discovers that he has a three legged dog named Lieutenant Dan, AND that he has volunteered to be her brother’s kidney donor, ANONYMOUSLY, she realizes that he may not be the Villain she thought he was.
How can she ever repay him?
Turns out, she can help him out by pretending to be his new girlfriend, at the engagement and wedding events for Jeremiah and Amy-so that his family can celebrate without guilt, assured that he has moved on and is happy again-and that he is happy for them.
Briana and Jacob agree to always be HARMLESS to each other-to never cause the other pain.
MAYBE, just MAYBE-their own happily ever after, will be the result?
Abby Jimenez writes my absolute FAVORITE romances, filled with great loves, great friendships, good humor and dogs! 🐶
And, she always includes a challenge for at least one of her characters which enlightens us on a more serious subject without taking away from the HAPPY.
This time it’s kidney failure and organ donation.
I loved her 3 part FRIEND ZONE series (The Friend Zone, The Happy Ever After Playlist and Life’s Too Short) and I equally love this two part series, “Part of Your World” and “Yours Truly”.
Review for Part of Your World: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I hope she is hard at work on her next novel-I can’t wait! ❤️
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to the Chandler Public Library for the loan of this title!
In fact, she just MAY have set a new record by getting me to tear up for the FIRST time, at just about a third of the way into this story…
D-day (divorce is final) is rapidly approaching for Dr. Briana Ortiz, her brother, Benny is giving up on life-convinced the kidney donor he needs will never be found, thanks to his absent father giving him a rare blood type, and the new Doctor at her hospital, Jacob Maddox may be getting the promotion she wants.
He isn’t making the BEST first Impression.
Little does she know that he took the job at Royaume Northwestern to escape the pain of working at Memorial West with his brother, Jeremiah and his ex girlfriend, Amy, who are now engaged. It also doesn’t help that he suffers from “social anxiety” in new situations.
NEVER say NEVER…
So, he tries to right his first missteps by writing her a good old fashioned letter, as he is much better at expressing himself when he has time to think about his words-and a friendship is born. ✍🏻💌
And, when she discovers that he has a three legged dog named Lieutenant Dan, AND that he has volunteered to be her brother’s kidney donor, ANONYMOUSLY, she realizes that he may not be the Villain she thought he was.
How can she ever repay him?
Turns out, she can help him out by pretending to be his new girlfriend, at the engagement and wedding events for Jeremiah and Amy-so that his family can celebrate without guilt, assured that he has moved on and is happy again-and that he is happy for them.
Briana and Jacob agree to always be HARMLESS to each other-to never cause the other pain.
MAYBE, just MAYBE-their own happily ever after, will be the result?
Abby Jimenez writes my absolute FAVORITE romances, filled with great loves, great friendships, good humor and dogs! 🐶
And, she always includes a challenge for at least one of her characters which enlightens us on a more serious subject without taking away from the HAPPY.
This time it’s kidney failure and organ donation.
I loved her 3 part FRIEND ZONE series (The Friend Zone, The Happy Ever After Playlist and Life’s Too Short) and I equally love this two part series, “Part of Your World” and “Yours Truly”.
Review for Part of Your World: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I hope she is hard at work on her next novel-I can’t wait! ❤️
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to the Chandler Public Library for the loan of this title!
May 9, 2023
Colour me confused and conflicted. 😖
Part of Your World was better.
Disclaimer: I was reading this book with an anxious frame of mind. Anxiety and I were spending a ghastly amount of time together.
I might possibly have been triggered, though that’s not something I ever experience when it comes to books. There’s always a first for something…
The characters were spiralling and seeing their thoughts on page… I couldn’t necessarily separate my mind from it.
At the same time, I didn’t want to put this book down either. It had so many good qualities.
It might be the book, but it could very well be me. So take that rating with a grain of salt.
It’s me, I’m the problem.
The miscommunication trope is not a trope that usually bothers me.
There’s something that’s innately human about the fact that most people don’t want to let others know how they are feeling. Talking about your feelings sucks. Occasionally overrated. And being vulnerable and open with someone? Well, fuck that behaviour all together. Who has the emotional capacity for that all the time? Or even half the time?Just let me overthink and leave me alone. In peace.
So because I understand that talking and telling someone about your feelings and what you’re going through isn’t what its always cracked up to be, I’m more lenient when this trope is introduced within a story. I have more patience for it. I empathise massively. It doesn’t usually bring the story down for me. Except maybe in this case… though there were other factors.
It does depend on how the author explores that aspect and whether I can understand if from the character’s point of view. I guess this is subjective for everyone.
And even when you do understand it sometimes, you still want to beat the characters over their heads. “Just fuckin’ talk, will ya?”
“Would I express myself if I was in their situation? Maybe. Maybe not.”
You have these conversations with yourself.
Now, for context, these two characters are fake-dating. Miscommunication is bound to show up. You made a deal to fake your feelings and by the end, you’re unsure whether those fake feelings are real or not. Whether they are reciprocated or not.
Cue the anxiety. 😵💫
Jacob’s brand of anxiety is exactly like mine. Scarily fuckin’ accurate.
Briana has a warped perception of men and relationships because she was in a bad one. Her dad leaving when young hasn’t helped that situation, neither does her mother who just spews a toxic narrative about men. This is what she’s grown up hearing and it still continued.
Almost the whole story is them battling their feelings. It occasionally read angsty but I also wanted to shout at these characters. It felt drawn out by the author. And I don’t know whether that was needed.
Not only was the miscommunication drawn out, things really fuckin’ exploded towards the end.
I despise it when authors save all of the conflict(s) till the last minute. There wasn’t enough of a buildup for it. For the characters or the readers. It was such a surprise and not in a good way. It read messy.
The readers know Briana suffered through a disgusting marriage. We know that from the slight things that are mentioned. She felt so unbelievably bleak about life that I wish we had walked through some of those parts with her, to really connect with her.
I wish we had more vulnerable conversations between her and Jacob, where they explored those wounds, because they already had the foundation of a great friendship.
I wish the characters would stop thinking for the other person, to make an assumption and run with it like it’s final. Like its fact. I mean, we are all guilty of this. We know it comes from fear of rejection. It’s an aggravating human characteristic.
I wish, I wish, I wish. The last thing I want to be doing whilst reading a book is rewriting the story in my head. 😓
This just turned into a fuckin’ essay. 😬
I understand some of the elements the author chose. But I wasn’t satisfied with it.
I appreciated massively how Abby Jimenez showcased Jacob’s anxiety. I adored his family. He was the sweetest of characters. Briana was beautiful and fiery and such a light. Loyal and the type that goes to the ends of the earth for someone she cares about. Their banter was amazing and the way they connected was adorable.
It’s not that it was a bad book. It really wasn’t. It just wasn’t my book.
*Please check out the author’s ‘review’ on GR for trigger warnings.*
Part of Your World was better.
Disclaimer: I was reading this book with an anxious frame of mind. Anxiety and I were spending a ghastly amount of time together.
I might possibly have been triggered, though that’s not something I ever experience when it comes to books. There’s always a first for something…
The characters were spiralling and seeing their thoughts on page… I couldn’t necessarily separate my mind from it.
At the same time, I didn’t want to put this book down either. It had so many good qualities.
It might be the book, but it could very well be me. So take that rating with a grain of salt.
The miscommunication trope is not a trope that usually bothers me.
There’s something that’s innately human about the fact that most people don’t want to let others know how they are feeling. Talking about your feelings sucks. Occasionally overrated. And being vulnerable and open with someone? Well, fuck that behaviour all together. Who has the emotional capacity for that all the time? Or even half the time?
So because I understand that talking and telling someone about your feelings and what you’re going through isn’t what its always cracked up to be, I’m more lenient when this trope is introduced within a story. I have more patience for it. I empathise massively. It doesn’t usually bring the story down for me. Except maybe in this case… though there were other factors.
It does depend on how the author explores that aspect and whether I can understand if from the character’s point of view. I guess this is subjective for everyone.
And even when you do understand it sometimes, you still want to beat the characters over their heads. “Just fuckin’ talk, will ya?”
“Would I express myself if I was in their situation? Maybe. Maybe not.”
You have these conversations with yourself.
Now, for context, these two characters are fake-dating. Miscommunication is bound to show up. You made a deal to fake your feelings and by the end, you’re unsure whether those fake feelings are real or not. Whether they are reciprocated or not.
Cue the anxiety. 😵💫
Jacob’s brand of anxiety is exactly like mine. Scarily fuckin’ accurate.
Briana has a warped perception of men and relationships because she was in a bad one. Her dad leaving when young hasn’t helped that situation, neither does her mother who just spews a toxic narrative about men. This is what she’s grown up hearing and it still continued.
Almost the whole story is them battling their feelings. It occasionally read angsty but I also wanted to shout at these characters. It felt drawn out by the author. And I don’t know whether that was needed.
Not only was the miscommunication drawn out, things really fuckin’ exploded towards the end.
I despise it when authors save all of the conflict(s) till the last minute. There wasn’t enough of a buildup for it. For the characters or the readers. It was such a surprise and not in a good way. It read messy.
The readers know Briana suffered through a disgusting marriage. We know that from the slight things that are mentioned. She felt so unbelievably bleak about life that I wish we had walked through some of those parts with her, to really connect with her.
I wish we had more vulnerable conversations between her and Jacob, where they explored those wounds, because they already had the foundation of a great friendship.
I wish the characters would stop thinking for the other person, to make an assumption and run with it like it’s final. Like its fact. I mean, we are all guilty of this. We know it comes from fear of rejection. It’s an aggravating human characteristic.
I wish, I wish, I wish. The last thing I want to be doing whilst reading a book is rewriting the story in my head. 😓
This just turned into a fuckin’ essay. 😬
I understand some of the elements the author chose. But I wasn’t satisfied with it.
I appreciated massively how Abby Jimenez showcased Jacob’s anxiety. I adored his family. He was the sweetest of characters. Briana was beautiful and fiery and such a light. Loyal and the type that goes to the ends of the earth for someone she cares about. Their banter was amazing and the way they connected was adorable.
It’s not that it was a bad book. It really wasn’t. It just wasn’t my book.
*Please check out the author’s ‘review’ on GR for trigger warnings.*
May 20, 2023
– 4 stars
Fictional heroes whose love language is acts of service are my favorite kind of heroes. Jacob was the sweetest, shyest, most awkward, and anxiety-ridden golden retriever hero. Everything he did for Briana was so swoonworthy and I love him. Protect him at all costs. 🥺👉👈
The miscommunication trope is usually so annoying, but I didn't mind it in this book because the angst and mutual pining it created were delicious, and I loved it. Since the 'heroine-thinking-hero-is-in-love-with-ow-even-though-he-is-not' hurts so good and it's right up my alley. 🤌 who cared that Briana and Jacob could have gotten together way faster if they only sit down and talked about their feelings.. that would be boring wouldn't it. 😌
The almost perfect rom-com with a new amazing book boyfriend. 🧚♀️
Fictional heroes whose love language is acts of service are my favorite kind of heroes. Jacob was the sweetest, shyest, most awkward, and anxiety-ridden golden retriever hero. Everything he did for Briana was so swoonworthy and I love him. Protect him at all costs. 🥺👉👈
“Use me,” he said, his eyes resigned. “Use me for whatever you want. Just stay.”
The miscommunication trope is usually so annoying, but I didn't mind it in this book because the angst and mutual pining it created were delicious, and I loved it. Since the 'heroine-thinking-hero-is-in-love-with-ow-even-though-he-is-not' hurts so good and it's right up my alley. 🤌 who cared that Briana and Jacob could have gotten together way faster if they only sit down and talked about their feelings.. that would be boring wouldn't it. 😌
“I’m afraid I’m just drugged and none of this is really happening.”
“It’s really happening, Jacob.”
I closed my eyes. “How do I know?”
“Because love shows up. And here I am.”
The almost perfect rom-com with a new amazing book boyfriend. 🧚♀️
August 4, 2023
3.5 Jacob is precious 🫶🏻. This book was hilarious and so cute it made me so giddy but then the ending came and my whole opinion changed. I expected more from it and more of them being a couple and I didn’t get that :(
October 30, 2023
Jacob is a stunningly amazing protagonist.
first half of this story rocked my world 10/10 amazing no notes. the letters were phenomenal, their banter made me smile, the representation of jacob’s anxiety and briana’s sweetness toward him brought a tear to my eye and everything was perfect until we got into cyclical internal monologuing for hundreds of pages “there’s no way she likes me it’s fake” “there’s no way he likes me it’s a rebound”. then the miscommunication dragged…and then a new conflict was introduced/new parts of a tragic backstory were unlocked with only 40 pages left in the novel. the pacing was severely off, and things got repetitive, but the characters were lovable and it was compulsively readable with many heartwarming moments so I’d read another from the author in the future. Just very frustrated with the overall execution of this romance because I was so sure it would be my next five star read but it is what it is.
some characters need therapy more than they need a fake dating plotline but what do I know.
first half of this story rocked my world 10/10 amazing no notes. the letters were phenomenal, their banter made me smile, the representation of jacob’s anxiety and briana’s sweetness toward him brought a tear to my eye and everything was perfect until we got into cyclical internal monologuing for hundreds of pages “there’s no way she likes me it’s fake” “there’s no way he likes me it’s a rebound”. then the miscommunication dragged…and then a new conflict was introduced/new parts of a tragic backstory were unlocked with only 40 pages left in the novel. the pacing was severely off, and things got repetitive, but the characters were lovable and it was compulsively readable with many heartwarming moments so I’d read another from the author in the future. Just very frustrated with the overall execution of this romance because I was so sure it would be my next five star read but it is what it is.
some characters need therapy more than they need a fake dating plotline but what do I know.
April 22, 2023
Yours truly was not a fan of "Yours Truly."
While Abby Jimenez's "Part of Your World" sizzled and soared, "Yours Truly, Part of Your World #2" lacked luster and fell flat.
It was a rom-com without the "com".
Missing was Abby Jimenez's signature witty banter, compelling dialogue, and expert pacing.
Overall, the book was a dizzying and exhausting read with waaay too much melodrama.
The male protagonist had an anxiety disorder and the female protagonist had severe abandonment issues.
Both had been blindsided in their previous long-term relationships.
As a result, both kept on vacillating and overthinking their relationship.
And after both protagonists ceased overthinking, they started overthinking their relationship AGAIN. (UGH!)
Mentions of Alexis and Daniel from "Part of Your World" in the book were a treat, but even Alexis and Daniel could not save this book.
I struggled to finish the book but was grateful that I did because my very, very favorite part of the book was the author's heartfelt note that appeared after the last chapter.
To avoid spoilers, I will refrain from commenting on the author's message.
I listened to the full-cast audiobook book and both narrators did a fine job with the narration.
"Part of Your World #1" was a 10-star read.
"Yours Truly", unfortunately, was truly a disappointment.
Perhaps my expectations were set too high?
2.5 stars.
While Abby Jimenez's "Part of Your World" sizzled and soared, "Yours Truly, Part of Your World #2" lacked luster and fell flat.
It was a rom-com without the "com".
Missing was Abby Jimenez's signature witty banter, compelling dialogue, and expert pacing.
Overall, the book was a dizzying and exhausting read with waaay too much melodrama.
The male protagonist had an anxiety disorder and the female protagonist had severe abandonment issues.
Both had been blindsided in their previous long-term relationships.
As a result, both kept on vacillating and overthinking their relationship.
And after both protagonists ceased overthinking, they started overthinking their relationship AGAIN. (UGH!)
Mentions of Alexis and Daniel from "Part of Your World" in the book were a treat, but even Alexis and Daniel could not save this book.
I struggled to finish the book but was grateful that I did because my very, very favorite part of the book was the author's heartfelt note that appeared after the last chapter.
To avoid spoilers, I will refrain from commenting on the author's message.
I listened to the full-cast audiobook book and both narrators did a fine job with the narration.
"Part of Your World #1" was a 10-star read.
"Yours Truly", unfortunately, was truly a disappointment.
Perhaps my expectations were set too high?
2.5 stars.
July 19, 2023
4.5 Stars!!
Another rapid fire review bc the review burnout is real!
Loved this book! This was a 5 star book for me right up until the end when something minor happened that was annoying but enough to bump it down half a star. But it's still probably my second favorite contemporary romance of the year and it's MUCH better than the first book and I liked that one too.
-First thing, you all were right! Jacob is even better than Daniel. HE IS SO PRECIOUS! I love this man, literally would take a bullet for him. The anxiety rep in this book is absolutely done so well and realistic. I wanted to jump into the pages and hug this man so bad! And he adopted a three legged dog you guys!!!! I just can't say how much I loved him enough.
-Briana is amazing, I could really relate to her temperament and I loved that she was petty but also so fiercely loyal and protective of the people she loves. And my girl is so freaking funny! I was cracking up half the book. I think her trauma was well represented and I did really feel for her and her struggle with her brother.
-The chemistry between Jacob and Briana was my cup of tea, it was a slow burn for sure but done perfectly.
-Amy can fall of a cliff, I don't care. I will NEVER forgive.
-The only think that bothered me was the third act. And not even what happened bc I actually understood the reaction and it did make sense (even though it was extremely frustrating) but it was more the structure of the book. There was conflict for most of the book and then a sub conflict at the end and it was too much. That being said it was still a great book and I loved it.
So, super cute, would read again, definitely recommend!
Another rapid fire review bc the review burnout is real!
Loved this book! This was a 5 star book for me right up until the end when something minor happened that was annoying but enough to bump it down half a star. But it's still probably my second favorite contemporary romance of the year and it's MUCH better than the first book and I liked that one too.
-First thing, you all were right! Jacob is even better than Daniel. HE IS SO PRECIOUS! I love this man, literally would take a bullet for him. The anxiety rep in this book is absolutely done so well and realistic. I wanted to jump into the pages and hug this man so bad! And he adopted a three legged dog you guys!!!! I just can't say how much I loved him enough.
-Briana is amazing, I could really relate to her temperament and I loved that she was petty but also so fiercely loyal and protective of the people she loves. And my girl is so freaking funny! I was cracking up half the book. I think her trauma was well represented and I did really feel for her and her struggle with her brother.
-The chemistry between Jacob and Briana was my cup of tea, it was a slow burn for sure but done perfectly.
-Amy can fall of a cliff, I don't care. I will NEVER forgive.
-The only think that bothered me was the third act. And not even what happened bc I actually understood the reaction and it did make sense (even though it was extremely frustrating) but it was more the structure of the book. There was conflict for most of the book and then a sub conflict at the end and it was too much. That being said it was still a great book and I loved it.
So, super cute, would read again, definitely recommend!
September 30, 2022
Totally a 5!
Love shows up and that is that!!
Ok, maybe you want to know more about Yours Truly. If you do, read below.
We met our heroine in the last book. Her name is Briana Ortiz and she is an ER physician. She is soon to be divorced and hoping to get a promotion if her boss ever retires. She was married for ten years when she discovered her husband was cheating for the past 2 years with her good friend. And if that was not enough to deal with, her younger brother has end-stage renal disease. He is on dialysis and waiting on a match for a transplant has been hard.
Our hero, Dr. Jacob Maddox is also an ER physician. He recently transferred to the same hospital where Briana works. He also comes from a broken relationship. His brother is now engaged to his ex-girlfriend, Amy. Jacob was with her for two and a half years. Jacob also suffers from terrible social anxiety. He prefers the quiet of his home and his dog, Lieutenant Dan, to a night at the bar.
Talk about both being a mess, right?
Yours Truly works! I adore both characters. I thought Abby Jimenez fleshed them out perfectly. The social anxiety Jacob experienced felt real to me. I also understood Briana's fears after what she went through. There were so many details I loved: The letters, the getting-to-know questions, LT Dan, and both main characters' families. Jacob was one of the good guys and Briana needed to finally find someone who deserved her.
An extra thank you to author Abby Jimenez for distracting me from Hurricane Ian while it was causing havoc in my backyard. I knew I needed something like this to get me through this storm without power.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Love shows up and that is that!!
Ok, maybe you want to know more about Yours Truly. If you do, read below.
We met our heroine in the last book. Her name is Briana Ortiz and she is an ER physician. She is soon to be divorced and hoping to get a promotion if her boss ever retires. She was married for ten years when she discovered her husband was cheating for the past 2 years with her good friend. And if that was not enough to deal with, her younger brother has end-stage renal disease. He is on dialysis and waiting on a match for a transplant has been hard.
Our hero, Dr. Jacob Maddox is also an ER physician. He recently transferred to the same hospital where Briana works. He also comes from a broken relationship. His brother is now engaged to his ex-girlfriend, Amy. Jacob was with her for two and a half years. Jacob also suffers from terrible social anxiety. He prefers the quiet of his home and his dog, Lieutenant Dan, to a night at the bar.
Talk about both being a mess, right?
Yours Truly works! I adore both characters. I thought Abby Jimenez fleshed them out perfectly. The social anxiety Jacob experienced felt real to me. I also understood Briana's fears after what she went through. There were so many details I loved: The letters, the getting-to-know questions, LT Dan, and both main characters' families. Jacob was one of the good guys and Briana needed to finally find someone who deserved her.
An extra thank you to author Abby Jimenez for distracting me from Hurricane Ian while it was causing havoc in my backyard. I knew I needed something like this to get me through this storm without power.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
November 26, 2022
i've been sitting on this review for a month. this book was so good i thought about it for a week after. my cold heart thawed a little bit while i was reading this one. there was some giggling and kicking of the feet like i was the girl next door of the an early 2000s romcom.
everyone should know that i am a man-hater to my core. but would i risk it all for jacob maddox? absolutely, i would.
WHAT was he so sweet for, huh? this book is giving me unrealistic expectations of romance and love in real life and i cannot live with these lies.
this book has every trope so many of us treasure like we're gollum with the one ring trying to hold onto something that sparkles in this garbage world.
there was dislike-to-love, fake dating, forced proximity, workplace romance and friends to lovers. abby jimenez put it all into a blender and lovingly fed us the smoothie of love that is yours truly.
my teeth hurt from how sweet this was ugh i'm in despair.
briana ortiz is a takes control, hbic, loveable doctor up for promotion. enter newbie rival (shortly lived) jacob maddox. she tries her best to dislike him but SHE CAN'T because he's made of sunshine and puppies.
jacob's anxiety is depicted in such a wonderful way. everyone that loves jacob accepts and accommodates his needs and it made me so emotional to see him be successful, but still stumble from time to time and still be loved so dearly.
my guy suffers a lot because of his anxiety and sometimes inability to express himself correctly. the way briana treats him kindly and always has his back? and in return, he also never lets her down and soothes her traumas and pain. i'm in despair again.
who is doing it like them??? no one.
there were a few moments where briana's personal insecurities and behaviour had me ready to take her by the hand to the doorsteps of a therapist. and you know what? we all need a friend like that. actually, i need someone to do that for me. and in that therapy session, i'll talk about this book for a solid 30 minutes like it was real life and the therapist will be texting front desk to schedule the next few appointments immediately.
in summary: this book fed me, held my hand, told me everything was gonna be alright and then tucked me into bed after with a kiss on the forehead.
everyone should know that i am a man-hater to my core. but would i risk it all for jacob maddox? absolutely, i would.
WHAT was he so sweet for, huh? this book is giving me unrealistic expectations of romance and love in real life and i cannot live with these lies.
this book has every trope so many of us treasure like we're gollum with the one ring trying to hold onto something that sparkles in this garbage world.
there was dislike-to-love, fake dating, forced proximity, workplace romance and friends to lovers. abby jimenez put it all into a blender and lovingly fed us the smoothie of love that is yours truly.
my teeth hurt from how sweet this was ugh i'm in despair.
briana ortiz is a takes control, hbic, loveable doctor up for promotion. enter newbie rival (shortly lived) jacob maddox. she tries her best to dislike him but SHE CAN'T because he's made of sunshine and puppies.
jacob's anxiety is depicted in such a wonderful way. everyone that loves jacob accepts and accommodates his needs and it made me so emotional to see him be successful, but still stumble from time to time and still be loved so dearly.
my guy suffers a lot because of his anxiety and sometimes inability to express himself correctly. the way briana treats him kindly and always has his back? and in return, he also never lets her down and soothes her traumas and pain. i'm in despair again.
who is doing it like them??? no one.
there were a few moments where briana's personal insecurities and behaviour had me ready to take her by the hand to the doorsteps of a therapist. and you know what? we all need a friend like that. actually, i need someone to do that for me. and in that therapy session, i'll talk about this book for a solid 30 minutes like it was real life and the therapist will be texting front desk to schedule the next few appointments immediately.
in summary: this book fed me, held my hand, told me everything was gonna be alright and then tucked me into bed after with a kiss on the forehead.
April 14, 2023
this is one of my favorite books i’ve read this year
August 9, 2023
Actual rating: 3,5⭐️
I was really looking forward to read Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez as the previous book in the series, Part of Your World, is now one of my all time favourite romances.
Written from the same mind, those two books are similar, but still very different at the same time.
When Part of the World is small town romance where place plays the most important part of the story, Yours Truly is character driven story that could take place anywhere in the world, as long as they have hospitals there.
As soon as I started reading I found myself invested in the characters amd their journey. And when I talk about characters, I don't mean only two MCs, but also side characters.
I wanted to see what is happening with Bri's brother, Jacob's sister, their colegues...
No matter how enjoyable Yours Truly was, I have to admit I found the story progressing too swiftly to be believable. I know romances are often unbelievable, and when we read them we like to daydream things that aren't happening in real life might happen one day, in this case some parts were... too much for my taste.
I found myself asking why in faking lovers trope two people decide to take all the obligations there are in relationship, but deprive themselves from having sex, when in reality prople actually like to enjoy screwing around, but would like to avoid obligations that come with relationship.
Accidental pregnancy didn't help the case, nor the fact that there wasn't villain in the story that would complicate situation.
Instead of the third party, complication came from miscommunication and stories characters played in their own heads.
However, I have to say that this book has maybe the best description of anxiety in literature.
In the end, I would appreciate if the author showed how hard it is for the giver when it comes to organ donation, as they give up something their body needs (to save someone else's life) and will never get back.
It would make the story more real, as giving an organ is noble and the giver pays the price, so I would appreciate if the book showed what a sacrifice it truly is.
I was really looking forward to read Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez as the previous book in the series, Part of Your World, is now one of my all time favourite romances.
Written from the same mind, those two books are similar, but still very different at the same time.
When Part of the World is small town romance where place plays the most important part of the story, Yours Truly is character driven story that could take place anywhere in the world, as long as they have hospitals there.
As soon as I started reading I found myself invested in the characters amd their journey. And when I talk about characters, I don't mean only two MCs, but also side characters.
I wanted to see what is happening with Bri's brother, Jacob's sister, their colegues...
No matter how enjoyable Yours Truly was, I have to admit I found the story progressing too swiftly to be believable. I know romances are often unbelievable, and when we read them we like to daydream things that aren't happening in real life might happen one day, in this case some parts were... too much for my taste.
I found myself asking why in faking lovers trope two people decide to take all the obligations there are in relationship, but deprive themselves from having sex, when in reality prople actually like to enjoy screwing around, but would like to avoid obligations that come with relationship.
Accidental pregnancy didn't help the case, nor the fact that there wasn't villain in the story that would complicate situation.
Instead of the third party, complication came from miscommunication and stories characters played in their own heads.
However, I have to say that this book has maybe the best description of anxiety in literature.
In the end, I would appreciate if the author showed how hard it is for the giver when it comes to organ donation, as they give up something their body needs (to save someone else's life) and will never get back.
It would make the story more real, as giving an organ is noble and the giver pays the price, so I would appreciate if the book showed what a sacrifice it truly is.
April 28, 2023
There were some things I liked about Yours Truly, but overall, the experience was a disappointment. I felt SO betrayed by the fact that this book started off with two of my favorite tropes (fake dating + epistolary) just to slap me in the face with two of my MOST HATED tropes in the second half (tropes, major spoilers): that leads to (plot, major spoilers): 😩 By the way, that last trope? (Major spoiler) by the end of the book, we have FOUR characters who are
LOOK, first off, the best thing about this book -- similarly to POFW -- is that I LOVED Jacob as a MMC. I truly do. I felt that Abby definitely explored his anxiety really well here in both Briana and Jacob's POVs. He gets amazing vulnerable moments and is so loveable and loving, just as Briana states multiple times. I loved that Briana understood how to be there for him from the get-go, and that they had a pretty cute initial build up with the initial friendship/romance with the epistolary romance vibes of letter exchanging! The second thing that I loved was that when things went to the fake dating, the progression felt pretty natural. Yes, the circumstances were a bit iffy in terms of the why, but I still believed in Briana's reasonings, and Jacob's made sense to me as well. Things started to take an initial turn when the comfy "this is easy" vibes that I was getting from the couple in first half of the book kind of stayed too singular-noted. By the time we get to the "is this real?" part, I really didn't really feel it.
Which then made everything in the second half go down hill. 😭 It makes sense for there to be some miscommunication, particularly in fake dating as there obviously needs to be the "is this real or not?" type of thoughts by the characters. There was just WAY too much here for my tastes. On top of that, both Briana and Jacob describe how things are different with each other compared to their respective exes in their POVs SO OFTEN that it just kind of got really repetitive.
And dear god, the third act??? The third act was such a mess. 😭 I could sympathize somewhat with Briana's trajectory because it is realistic to have the kinds of thoughts she had with the history she had, but at the same time it almost quite literally undid EVERYTHING that she had gone through in the whole book that it completely baffled me. Abby also seemed to throw in some plot points for the sake of plot that just made things worse. Major spoilers:
I get that Abby was trying to also have Briana get over her fears, but I felt that it was just too big of a reaction + a HUGE ask as well that felt out of character for both Briana and Jacob. So in the end, first half was great, second half was a hot mess that ruined everything and just pissed me off. 😆
LOOK, first off, the best thing about this book -- similarly to POFW -- is that I LOVED Jacob as a MMC. I truly do. I felt that Abby definitely explored his anxiety really well here in both Briana and Jacob's POVs. He gets amazing vulnerable moments and is so loveable and loving, just as Briana states multiple times. I loved that Briana understood how to be there for him from the get-go, and that they had a pretty cute initial build up with the initial friendship/romance with the epistolary romance vibes of letter exchanging! The second thing that I loved was that when things went to the fake dating, the progression felt pretty natural. Yes, the circumstances were a bit iffy in terms of the why, but I still believed in Briana's reasonings, and Jacob's made sense to me as well. Things started to take an initial turn when the comfy "this is easy" vibes that I was getting from the couple in first half of the book kind of stayed too singular-noted. By the time we get to the "is this real?" part, I really didn't really feel it.
Which then made everything in the second half go down hill. 😭 It makes sense for there to be some miscommunication, particularly in fake dating as there obviously needs to be the "is this real or not?" type of thoughts by the characters. There was just WAY too much here for my tastes. On top of that, both Briana and Jacob describe how things are different with each other compared to their respective exes in their POVs SO OFTEN that it just kind of got really repetitive.
And dear god, the third act??? The third act was such a mess. 😭 I could sympathize somewhat with Briana's trajectory because it is realistic to have the kinds of thoughts she had with the history she had, but at the same time it almost quite literally undid EVERYTHING that she had gone through in the whole book that it completely baffled me. Abby also seemed to throw in some plot points for the sake of plot that just made things worse. Major spoilers:
I get that Abby was trying to also have Briana get over her fears, but I felt that it was just too big of a reaction + a HUGE ask as well that felt out of character for both Briana and Jacob. So in the end, first half was great, second half was a hot mess that ruined everything and just pissed me off. 😆
February 11, 2023
★★★★/5 & 🌶/5 - Such a cute follow-up to Part of Your World! If you've read that one, you'll love this one too!
SHORT PREVIEW: ER doctor - Dr. Briana Ortiz is in a rough time of her life. Finalizing her divorce, her brother is waiting on a kidney donor, and now she's seemingly getting pushed out of the Chief of Emergency Medicine position she's rightly earned? Jacob - running from the ex whos making his emotional well-being basically impossible, learns he's a perfect kidney match for Briana's brother. With both of their pasts pushing in - can they possibly find a way forward through all of their insecurities?
MUSINGS:
- Really love that throughout this book - trauma isn't portrayed as something fixed by a happy-ever-after ending with the person/people you love. Whether it's found-family or finding a person who promises to be harmless - the author does a great job realistically creating a romance that we can all learn a little something from.
- Another thing about Abby Jimenez's writing style, none of her characters are overly dramatic or make dramatic decisions! It's not the virginal young maidens making stupid reactionary emotional decisions because their brain's pre-frontal cortex is fully formed!?
- So refreshing to read romances about women in their 30's. As I approach 30 myself, I find that I definitely relate to these characters and their motivations so much more. (Especially when they have thriving careers etc. Sometimes those stories when someone throws everything away to follow the person they love are fun to read - but not real life? Loving her story-telling style!
FAVORITE QUOTE:
'Imagine being the woman he picked to join him here. Having a gentle man like this one choose you to be a part of his private, insular world. To be as special as each thing he carefully surrounded himself with. How lucky that woman would be.' - Such a sweet thing to say about someone!
ABBY JIMENEZ'S WRITING STYLE: I'm loving how both books that I've read of hers are basically about workaholics finding love! Her writing also constantly reminds me of things about myself and other important life lessons we should all pay attention to. So many great quotes - I can't even list all my favorites!
SHOULD YOU READ 'PART OF YOUR WORLD' FIRST? - In my opinion, you should definitely read the other book first, or it'll ruin a few of the surprises in the end! I think both are great reads and can be read out of order if you so choose, but you'll enjoy her first book more if you read them in order. The stories have recurring characters that you'll remember from the first book!
Notes:
- Immigrant families, poverty struggles, etc.
- LGBTQ+ themes, nontraditional families
- #womeninstem
- HEA ending
- TWs: cheating, miscarriage & parental abandonment at a young age.
- Accidental pregnancy
- 🌶/5 Definitely less spicy than the last book IMO? A lot of emotional/mental foreplay without excessive dirty talk.
SHORT PREVIEW: ER doctor - Dr. Briana Ortiz is in a rough time of her life. Finalizing her divorce, her brother is waiting on a kidney donor, and now she's seemingly getting pushed out of the Chief of Emergency Medicine position she's rightly earned? Jacob - running from the ex whos making his emotional well-being basically impossible, learns he's a perfect kidney match for Briana's brother. With both of their pasts pushing in - can they possibly find a way forward through all of their insecurities?
MUSINGS:
- Really love that throughout this book - trauma isn't portrayed as something fixed by a happy-ever-after ending with the person/people you love. Whether it's found-family or finding a person who promises to be harmless - the author does a great job realistically creating a romance that we can all learn a little something from.
- Another thing about Abby Jimenez's writing style, none of her characters are overly dramatic or make dramatic decisions! It's not the virginal young maidens making stupid reactionary emotional decisions because their brain's pre-frontal cortex is fully formed!?
- So refreshing to read romances about women in their 30's. As I approach 30 myself, I find that I definitely relate to these characters and their motivations so much more. (Especially when they have thriving careers etc. Sometimes those stories when someone throws everything away to follow the person they love are fun to read - but not real life? Loving her story-telling style!
FAVORITE QUOTE:
'Imagine being the woman he picked to join him here. Having a gentle man like this one choose you to be a part of his private, insular world. To be as special as each thing he carefully surrounded himself with. How lucky that woman would be.' - Such a sweet thing to say about someone!
ABBY JIMENEZ'S WRITING STYLE: I'm loving how both books that I've read of hers are basically about workaholics finding love! Her writing also constantly reminds me of things about myself and other important life lessons we should all pay attention to. So many great quotes - I can't even list all my favorites!
SHOULD YOU READ 'PART OF YOUR WORLD' FIRST? - In my opinion, you should definitely read the other book first, or it'll ruin a few of the surprises in the end! I think both are great reads and can be read out of order if you so choose, but you'll enjoy her first book more if you read them in order. The stories have recurring characters that you'll remember from the first book!
Notes:
- Immigrant families, poverty struggles, etc.
- LGBTQ+ themes, nontraditional families
- #womeninstem
- HEA ending
- TWs: cheating, miscarriage & parental abandonment at a young age.
- Accidental pregnancy
- 🌶/5 Definitely less spicy than the last book IMO? A lot of emotional/mental foreplay without excessive dirty talk.
October 22, 2022
I was one of the few people on the planet who had never read an Abby Jimenez book, but I am so happy to say, that is no longer the case. And what a book to start with!! From the moment I started reading, I knew I was going to love Briana and Jacob’s story.
I adore the way Jimenez develops her characters, from her two MCs, to all of the supporting ones. I can completely envision Jacob’s big, boisterous family (one I wish I could be a part of), as well as Briana’s friends and their feisty hospital colleagues. They all felt like very real people who exist entirely outside of the story.
As someone who suffers from anxiety, I loved the way it was represented in Yours Truly. I felt for Jacob every time he felt anxious, overwhelmed, socially awkward (in fact as someone also on the autism spectrum, I think Jacob might be as well) or just plain stressed out and unable to deal. I so appreciated the way Jimenez had Briana handle those situations.
My only criticism of this book was that it relies pretty heavily on the miscommunication trope in the second half. And yet I loved this book so much, it still didn’t stop it from being a five star read for me.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Definitely give it a read, as well as her backlist which I’ve begun to work through.
Read if you like:
•friends to lovers
•fake dating
•workplace romance
•anxiety rep
•neurodivergent rep
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Available April 11, 2023!
I adore the way Jimenez develops her characters, from her two MCs, to all of the supporting ones. I can completely envision Jacob’s big, boisterous family (one I wish I could be a part of), as well as Briana’s friends and their feisty hospital colleagues. They all felt like very real people who exist entirely outside of the story.
As someone who suffers from anxiety, I loved the way it was represented in Yours Truly. I felt for Jacob every time he felt anxious, overwhelmed, socially awkward (in fact as someone also on the autism spectrum, I think Jacob might be as well) or just plain stressed out and unable to deal. I so appreciated the way Jimenez had Briana handle those situations.
My only criticism of this book was that it relies pretty heavily on the miscommunication trope in the second half. And yet I loved this book so much, it still didn’t stop it from being a five star read for me.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Definitely give it a read, as well as her backlist which I’ve begun to work through.
Read if you like:
•friends to lovers
•fake dating
•workplace romance
•anxiety rep
•neurodivergent rep
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Available April 11, 2023!
Read
May 6, 2023This book felt like a warm hug. From the moment we met Jacob, I was obsessed with him. He has anxiety and he doesn't always know how to say what he wants to say or act in the moment how he wants. When he first meets Briana, she definitely doesn't like him. But the two start spending time together and slowly develop a very sweet friendship, especially after he starts writing her letters. Then they start to fake date and I LOVED those moments where he took her to his parents' and they had to act like a couple. They started to fall for each other so hard, but they just didn't know how to open up and let themselves fall hard again since they both were burned so badly in the past. This book did rely on some miscommunication, but I actually didn't mind that. It was definitely a realistic miscommunication and they just had to take their time to find their way to each other.
I highly recommend listening to the audiobook for this because Zachary Webber takes this book to another level. This book was just so perfect and I couldn't recommend it enough.
I highly recommend listening to the audiobook for this because Zachary Webber takes this book to another level. This book was just so perfect and I couldn't recommend it enough.
July 17, 2023
The romance, the writing, and Jacob are the main reasons this is getting 3.5 stars than anything lower. Contrary to part of your world, this was more heartfelt with some playful moments.
I just want to protect Jacob at all costs.
His character resonated very much to me when it came to his social anxiety and I loved Jimenez for going into such depth in the representation for that.
In part of your world, I actually liked Bri and couldn’t wait for her own book so you could only imagine my surprise when I was slightly disappointed I didn’t so much here. I enjoyed her character until the middle/end. I just couldn’t connect with her as her character fell short to me esp bc she wouldn’t stop questioning Jacobs feelings for her almost ALLL throughout the book — but I did appreciate her protectiveness over him 🫶🏼
Also, one aspect of the book I loved were those letters between them! For me it added a special touch to it. Especially in the buildup to their relationship. I loved how he choose to express himself initially through them like can someone swoon me over with letters so I can keep and treasure them??
“I know all of your quiets. I know when you’re alone with me and you’re quiet, it’s because your brain is still. And when you’re in public and you’re quiet, it’s because your brain is loud. But I don’t know this one. What’s this one?”
“This ones you”
Ugh. This was Briana to Jacob btw
So did I enjoy it for the most part? yes some of it
Was there miscommunication? Absolutely yes and so so dragged out
Do I also think her fmcs could use some improvement? Yes yes & yes
Was this better than part of your world? In some ways yes and no.
I just want to protect Jacob at all costs.
His character resonated very much to me when it came to his social anxiety and I loved Jimenez for going into such depth in the representation for that.
In part of your world, I actually liked Bri and couldn’t wait for her own book so you could only imagine my surprise when I was slightly disappointed I didn’t so much here. I enjoyed her character until the middle/end. I just couldn’t connect with her as her character fell short to me esp bc she wouldn’t stop questioning Jacobs feelings for her almost ALLL throughout the book — but I did appreciate her protectiveness over him 🫶🏼
Also, one aspect of the book I loved were those letters between them! For me it added a special touch to it. Especially in the buildup to their relationship. I loved how he choose to express himself initially through them like can someone swoon me over with letters so I can keep and treasure them??
“I know all of your quiets. I know when you’re alone with me and you’re quiet, it’s because your brain is still. And when you’re in public and you’re quiet, it’s because your brain is loud. But I don’t know this one. What’s this one?”
“This ones you”
Ugh. This was Briana to Jacob btw
So did I enjoy it for the most part? yes some of it
Was there miscommunication? Absolutely yes and so so dragged out
Do I also think her fmcs could use some improvement? Yes yes & yes
Was this better than part of your world? In some ways yes and no.
April 28, 2023
AHHHHHHH-MAZING! 💗
Abby Jimenez is really speaking my love language with her Part of Your World series. Both books had me feeling ALL OF THE FEELS. I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed every single minute.
Briana Ortiz, ER doctor, is just about to finalize her divorce to her philandering husband. Her brother, Benny, is in need of a kidney transplant with no donor on the horizon. And to top things off a new ER doctor, Jacob Maddox, has been brought in and is now in line for the position she was a shoe in for. Honestly, her day couldn't get any worse.
Jacob, sufferer of anxiety and panic attacks, does not make the best first impression with the hospital staff and he certainly didn't make a good first impression with Briana. So, to remedy the situation, he decides to write Briana a letter. He's always been better on paper than in person.
From here the two begin to exchange letters not only daily but multiple times a day. So much so that they both look forward to finding their hidden notes and sharing lunch together in a storage closet. When Jacob mentions to Briana that his brother is marrying his ex-girlfriend they decide to *pretend* to be a couple through all the wedding festivities. Will what starts out like an act turn into the real deal? I won't kiss and tell so you'll have to read this to find out!
This book warmed my heart and made me smile throughout. Though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't incredibly frustrated too. "JUST DO IT ALREADY" "JUST SAY IT ALREADY" were the two things I kept thinking as I was reading this but where would the fun be in that?!?! I should also mention that the entire cast of characters were utterly charming. Grandpa Maddox, Jafar the foul-mouthed parrot, and the three legged dog Lieutenant Dan only served to make this story even better for me. I have not one bad thing to say about this book or the series. If you want to swoon, laugh, and maybe even cry then look no further. These are the books for you! 5 Swoony Stars! 💘
Thanks to Overdrive for the loan!
Abby Jimenez is really speaking my love language with her Part of Your World series. Both books had me feeling ALL OF THE FEELS. I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed every single minute.
Briana Ortiz, ER doctor, is just about to finalize her divorce to her philandering husband. Her brother, Benny, is in need of a kidney transplant with no donor on the horizon. And to top things off a new ER doctor, Jacob Maddox, has been brought in and is now in line for the position she was a shoe in for. Honestly, her day couldn't get any worse.
Jacob, sufferer of anxiety and panic attacks, does not make the best first impression with the hospital staff and he certainly didn't make a good first impression with Briana. So, to remedy the situation, he decides to write Briana a letter. He's always been better on paper than in person.
From here the two begin to exchange letters not only daily but multiple times a day. So much so that they both look forward to finding their hidden notes and sharing lunch together in a storage closet. When Jacob mentions to Briana that his brother is marrying his ex-girlfriend they decide to *pretend* to be a couple through all the wedding festivities. Will what starts out like an act turn into the real deal? I won't kiss and tell so you'll have to read this to find out!
This book warmed my heart and made me smile throughout. Though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't incredibly frustrated too. "JUST DO IT ALREADY" "JUST SAY IT ALREADY" were the two things I kept thinking as I was reading this but where would the fun be in that?!?! I should also mention that the entire cast of characters were utterly charming. Grandpa Maddox, Jafar the foul-mouthed parrot, and the three legged dog Lieutenant Dan only served to make this story even better for me. I have not one bad thing to say about this book or the series. If you want to swoon, laugh, and maybe even cry then look no further. These are the books for you! 5 Swoony Stars! 💘
Thanks to Overdrive for the loan!
September 27, 2023
She did it again!!
Yours Truly ticked all my boxes. It was funny and sweet. I want to find a supply closet to go in and sob! And Lieutenant Dan?🐶 Awwww! ❤️
Yours Truly ticked all my boxes. It was funny and sweet. I want to find a supply closet to go in and sob! And Lieutenant Dan?🐶 Awwww! ❤️
April 11, 2023
I was one of the few people on the planet who had never read an Abby Jimenez book, but I am so happy to say, that is no longer the case. And what a book to start with!! From the moment I started reading, I knew I was going to love Briana and Jacob’s story.
I adore the way Jimenez develops her characters, from her two MCs, to all of the supporting ones. I can completely envision Jacob’s big, boisterous family (one I wish I could be a part of), as well as Briana’s friends and their feisty hospital colleagues. They all felt like very real people who exist entirely outside of the story.
As someone who suffers from anxiety, I loved the way it was represented in Yours Truly. I felt for Jacob every time he felt anxious, overwhelmed, socially awkward (in fact as someone also on the autism spectrum, I think Jacob might be as well) or just plain stressed out and unable to deal. I so appreciated the way Jimenez had Briana handle those situations.
My only criticism of this book was that it relies pretty heavily on the miscommunication trope in the second half. And yet I loved this book so much, it still didn’t stop it from being a five star read for me.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Definitely give it a read, as well as her backlist which I’ve begun to work through.
Read if you like:
•friends to lovers
•fake dating
•workplace romance
•anxiety rep
•neurodivergent rep
Thank you {partner} Forever for the gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review.
I adore the way Jimenez develops her characters, from her two MCs, to all of the supporting ones. I can completely envision Jacob’s big, boisterous family (one I wish I could be a part of), as well as Briana’s friends and their feisty hospital colleagues. They all felt like very real people who exist entirely outside of the story.
As someone who suffers from anxiety, I loved the way it was represented in Yours Truly. I felt for Jacob every time he felt anxious, overwhelmed, socially awkward (in fact as someone also on the autism spectrum, I think Jacob might be as well) or just plain stressed out and unable to deal. I so appreciated the way Jimenez had Briana handle those situations.
My only criticism of this book was that it relies pretty heavily on the miscommunication trope in the second half. And yet I loved this book so much, it still didn’t stop it from being a five star read for me.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Definitely give it a read, as well as her backlist which I’ve begun to work through.
Read if you like:
•friends to lovers
•fake dating
•workplace romance
•anxiety rep
•neurodivergent rep
Thank you {partner} Forever for the gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review.
September 19, 2023
4.5🌟 (rounding up cause i just found out jacob was based on kerem bürsin)
(bumping my rating from a 4.25 to 4.5 after rereading with the audiobook)
abby jimenez you are a treasure. never stop writing and blessing us
not only did this woman just restore my faith in romance books and fictional men but she single handedly saved me from a terrible reading year
as much as i ended up enjoying this book, part of your world is still my favorite book by her. i fear she might’ve set an impossible standard with that masterpiece and no other book can top how it made me feel. and as sweet and (surprisingly ?) relatable jacob was with his introvertedness and struggles with anxiety, he just did not come close to holding a candle to daniel grant aka the best and most perfect fictional man to ever exist
the only reason this isn't getting a higher rating is because of the OW drama and how much the ex-girlfriend played a role in the book, I wasn't at all a fan that the main reason they even started fake dating was because of her. and i absolutely hated the fact that she’s gonna be in his life forever since she decided to dump him and marry his brother. i also wonder if she hadn’t left him, would he still be with her? idk…i didn’t like how forgiving he was when it came to her but other than that I had no complaints :)
(bumping my rating from a 4.25 to 4.5 after rereading with the audiobook)
abby jimenez you are a treasure. never stop writing and blessing us
not only did this woman just restore my faith in romance books and fictional men but she single handedly saved me from a terrible reading year
as much as i ended up enjoying this book, part of your world is still my favorite book by her. i fear she might’ve set an impossible standard with that masterpiece and no other book can top how it made me feel. and as sweet and (surprisingly ?) relatable jacob was with his introvertedness and struggles with anxiety, he just did not come close to holding a candle to daniel grant aka the best and most perfect fictional man to ever exist
the only reason this isn't getting a higher rating is because of the OW drama and how much the ex-girlfriend played a role in the book, I wasn't at all a fan that the main reason they even started fake dating was because of her. and i absolutely hated the fact that she’s gonna be in his life forever since she decided to dump him and marry his brother. i also wonder if she hadn’t left him, would he still be with her? idk…i didn’t like how forgiving he was when it came to her but other than that I had no complaints :)
May 18, 2023
Abby Jimenez is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
Book 2 in the Part of Your World series, Yours Truly can be read as a standalone but I still recommend you read Part of Your World first to enhance the story. Briana Ortiz's life is falling apart: she went through a bad divorce, her best friend moved away, her brother needs a kidney transplant, and the new guy at work is already in consideration for a promotion that should already be hers. But first impressions aren't always what they seem, and pretty soon Briana realizes the new guy (Jacob) is a better man than she realizes.
My third book by this author and so far it's a 2/3 win for me. This series in particular I adore and I love Abby Jimenez's sense of humor. And while this is a funny, romance book, there are some heavy hitting subjects that I felt the author dealt with with grace. I think she did a great job of explaining that sometimes happily ever after isn't easy just because we want it to be, happily ever after is work but work that's worth it (hopefully that made sense). I listened the audiobook and was laughing out loud at parts, and at others I wanted to strangle the main characters. But I loved this book and I hope everyone who reads it does too.
Book 2 in the Part of Your World series, Yours Truly can be read as a standalone but I still recommend you read Part of Your World first to enhance the story. Briana Ortiz's life is falling apart: she went through a bad divorce, her best friend moved away, her brother needs a kidney transplant, and the new guy at work is already in consideration for a promotion that should already be hers. But first impressions aren't always what they seem, and pretty soon Briana realizes the new guy (Jacob) is a better man than she realizes.
My third book by this author and so far it's a 2/3 win for me. This series in particular I adore and I love Abby Jimenez's sense of humor. And while this is a funny, romance book, there are some heavy hitting subjects that I felt the author dealt with with grace. I think she did a great job of explaining that sometimes happily ever after isn't easy just because we want it to be, happily ever after is work but work that's worth it (hopefully that made sense). I listened the audiobook and was laughing out loud at parts, and at others I wanted to strangle the main characters. But I loved this book and I hope everyone who reads it does too.
April 16, 2023
4.25 ⭐️ this book gave me all of the feeels!!!! so sweet. the perfect fake dating. and the anxiety rep really did it for me <3
i was not a fan of two specific tropes that were thrown in there BUT it was amazing regardless 😀
love this universe and loved seeing all of the characters from ‘part of your world’ again.
i was not a fan of two specific tropes that were thrown in there BUT it was amazing regardless 😀
love this universe and loved seeing all of the characters from ‘part of your world’ again.
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