Book Review #6: Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Open your heart and feel it all!

I love nothing more than discovering a new favourite author. When that discovery comes courtesy of a well thought out gift, it is all the more sweeter. One of my bosses was sweet enough to buy me two rom-com books as a platonic Valentine’s Day present after seeing me read while I was waiting to start my shift. Men take note, forget wasting money on roses and grand gestures, just work out what she reads.

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez was the first one I picked up. Late February and early March have been super busy and I hated losing the opportunity to read when I usually would, so I was forced to take moments where they came. A few pages here, a chapter there. This did nothing to satiate my need to devour the book. It did however, allow me to savour each scene and sit with the beauty of the story.

This truly unique story introduces our main characters while they both navigate massive life changes. Dr Briana Ortiz is holding her breath for a promotion in the lead up to the finalisation of her divorce, while also searching for a kidney donor to save her younger brother. Dr Jacob Maddoxis fleeing from the frypan to the fire by starting a new job in a different hospital as his ex-girlfriend announces she is getting married (I won’t give away the bombshell!) while managing the severe anxiety he lives with on a daily basis.

Through the lost art of letter writing, Abby Jimenez tenderly builds a beautiful connection between the two colleagues. As the story progresses, so too does the communication with Briana taking the leap to find Jacob on Instagram, before transitionning naturally into one of my favourite tropes, the fake relationship. This trope is used to perfection and Jimenez does not dissapoint in exposing the deepest, hardest secrets of both characters with the compassion and innate understanding of the emotions they are experiencing on their journey.

Within the pages of this story, she pulls our heartstrings and entwines them protectively around the characters as if we are their keepers, eliciting our tears, frustrations and joyful laughs.

While my eyes may be boggling out of my head right now with overtiredness, I am so glad that in the wee dark hours of the morning when I couldn’t sleep I instinctively picked this up. Still feel out of sorts I snuggled in on my side and read. Validation opened my heart as if it were just the characters and me in a little bubble feeling the same emotions albeit under very different circumstances.

I would love to see this story on screen. To viscerally react to Jacob’s longing stares, to laughing with a quirky bunch of supporting characters and a foul mouthed parrot, there is no doubt it would easily endear us in the manner of Schitt’s Creek which is coincidentally referenced in the book.

This book could easily be read in one sitting, though I would recommend reading it in doses and nurturing yourself along the way.

Happy Reading & Writing

Claire x