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.

Yours Truly (Amazon US) (Amazon UK) (Audible) (AbeBooks Used Book Marketplace)

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

Yours Truly is the follow-up to the much acclaimed (and just reviewed by me) Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez #BookReview #Goodreads2022Nominee #BeachRead. One of the side characters from that novel, Briana, takes center stage in her own romance that makes this a great beach read for 2023. She’s going through a divorce because her ex-husband cheated on her, and she’s got a bit of a vindictive streak. She’s definitely not looking for love.

I really like how Jimenez created a character, Jacob, who deals with social and general anxiety and takes medication for it, sees a therapist, and in general, is tackling the issue in a healthy way. I also love that he’s open about it to others. Mad props for normalizing mental health issues! Jacob has a hard time expressing himself, so he writes Briana a letter after he pisses her off. And that starts something special, with notes going back and forth, creating a friendship where there once was enmity.

Jacob’s former girlfriend is marrying his brother and doesn’t want his close-knit family to think he’s still pining for Amy. He’s really not, but they don’t believe that. When he proposes to Briana that she act like his girlfriend to help him out, she agrees, because she realizes she’s falling for him. But he’s not looking for a relationship. Or is he?

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed Jacob and Briana as much as I enjoyed Alexis and Daniel from Part of Your World. The writing was sharp, witty, and a true delight that made me turn the page in anticipation of the next part of the story. Highly recommend!

Lastly, I love that in both books, Nadia Cakes is mentioned in passing. It’s a real-life shop that Jimenez opened in 2007 and has won some awards on Food Network.

For more reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com

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