Book ~ "Yours Truly" (2023) Abby Jimenez

From Goodreads ~ 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.

Briana is an emergency room physician who is dealing with several challenges in her personal life, including her divorce and her brother’s health problems (he needs a kidney transplant). Her life becomes more complicated when Jacob, also as an emergency room physician, joins the hospital where she works. Jacob initially makes a poor impression on Briana but she soon discovers that he is very different from the person she thought he was. 

After Jacob writes her a heartfelt letter, the two begin communicating through letters and gradually develop a friendship. Jacob's younger brother has become engaged to his ex-girlfriend. To show everyone that he is okay with it, Jacob asks Briana to pretend to be his girlfriend and Briana agrees to do this favour because he is giving one of his kidneys to her brother. Their relationship eventually grows into something deeper, although both of them have personal circumstances and emotional insecurities that make the situation complicated. As Briana and Jacob spend more time together, they navigate misunderstandings, family expectations and their own fears about love and vulnerability. 

This was an easy quick read. It's written in alternating first-person perspectives between Briana and Jacob, with each chapter labeled. It's #2 in the Part of Your World series (Briana is best friends with Alexis, who is the main charactor in the first in the series, which I read a couple days ago, and is a minor charactor in this one). As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.

I liked the concept of the letter writing relationship and thought they were cute. This only lasted a couple chapters before it progressed to sticky notes, following each other on Instagram, phone calls and lunch. 

The miscommunication between Briana and Jacob was tiring. Not surprising they fell in love but each assumed the other was only acting ... Jacob thought Briana was only grateful Jacob was donating one of his kidneys and Briana thought Jacob was putting on a brave face because he was still in love with ex-girlfriend (his brother's fiancée ). It went on and on and on and on. One of them should have taken a chance sooner and be honest about how they were feeling. It would have cut out many many pages. 

It was also tiresome hearing often how Briana's first husband had hurt her and now they are divorced. Get over it and move on! 

Finally I hate when stories end with a woman pregnant or just having a baby ... as if a woman can't be complete without a child.

Book ~ "Part of Your World" (2022) Abby Jimenez

From Goodreads ~ After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come - the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable.

While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere” ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people.

Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she can’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?

Alexis is an emergency-room doctor, who will soon be 40, from a wealthy and influential family of surgeons. Her family has strong expectations for her career and personal life and Alexis has spent much of her life trying to meet those expectations. After her car ends up in a ditch while she is travelling through rural Minnesota, she meets Daniel, a carpenter, 10 years younger than she is, who lives in the nearby small town of Wakan. Daniel helps her with her car and the two unexpectedly begin spending time together. 

Daniel is deeply connected to his community and has a very different lifestyle from Alexis, whose life is centred around medicine, professional achievement and her family’s legacy. What begins as a casual relationship develops into something more significant. Alexis finds herself drawn to Daniel and to the people and community around him. At the same time, she remains tied to her family, career and the expectations that have shaped her life. 

Alexis is still dealing with the effects of a previous relationship with Neil, a surgeon her parents love and see as an appropriate match for her. As her relationship with Daniel develops, she is forced to consider what she wants for herself and how much of her life has been determined by other people's expectations. Alexis must decide how to balance her career, family responsibilities and relationship while determining what kind of future she wants.

I thought this story was okay and found it to be an easy quick read. It's written in alternating first-person perspectives between Alexis and Daniel, with each chapter labeled. It's #1 in the Part of Your World series. As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.

Considering it takest brains to become a doctor, I found Alexis to be immature and too dumb in the ways of the world. She's almost 40 and she still cares what people think and is trying please everyone so she keeps her relationship with Daniel hidden from everyone except her best friend, Bri. But she was emotionally abused by Neil and her parents so I guess that's why. Her father still treats her like crap (and she takes it) and her mother allows it. Though she was raised with money and still lives that lifestyle, I found it unbelievable that she didn't know how to sweep a floor (she didn't even know what a broom was called!) or peel a potato. Daniel was  a nice fella but too perfect to be realistic.

****

I followed that up with All Roads Lead to Here, a short story that explains how Derek, Alexis' twin brother, meets Nikki/Lola, the pop star from The Happy Ever After Playlist. It's free when you subscribe to the author's email list (I only signed up to get this free story). Derek appears briefly at the beginning of Part of Your World.

The story takes place in Cambodia, where both Nikki and Derek are involved in humanitarian work following a typhoon. Nikki is volunteering at a women’s shelter, while Derek is working as a doctor, providing medical assistance to people affected by the disaster. Nikki is a successful singer but the story gives more attention to the person behind her public image (there's no mention of her career). Away from her career and celebrity status, she is focused on helping the women at the shelter. Derek, being in Cambodia, shows his commitment to helping people in difficult circumstances. It was a quick read.

Book ~ "The Night We Met" (2026) Abby Jimenez

From Goodreads ~ In everyone’s life, there’s a split-second decision that can change everything.

For Larissa, it came when choosing which guy to ride home with after a concert. That night, she had no idea she’d met the perfect man. She and Chris are great together, co-parenting a slightly unhinged rescue Yorkie, sharing their favorite books and judging bread (pumpernickel for the win!). For the first time amid all her side hustles to scrape by, things finally feel easy.

But Chris isn't the one who drove Larissa home all those months ago - Chris is her boyfriend's best friend. All Chris wants is for Larissa to be happy. Standing by on the sidelines is slowly killing him but making a move would destroy someone else. And he’s just not that guy.

Larissa's life changes because of a single decision. After attending a concert with a friend, she's offered a ride home by two different men ... best friends Mike and Chris. She chooses Mike and they begin a serious relationship. As time goes on, she gets to know Chris better. Although they'd only briefly met before, Larissa and Chris discover they have a strong connection and many shared interests. Their friendship continues to grow and they find themselves co-parenting a rescue dog.

As Larissa and Mike's relationship becomes more serious, Chris finds himself caring for Larissa more than he should. But Mike is his best friend so he keeps his feelings to himself. Meanwhile, Mike is struggling with demons and Chris is constantly covering for him and trying to fix the problems he leaves behind.

I liked this story and found it to be an easy read. It's written in alternating first-person perspectives from Larissa and Chris, with each chapter labeled. I did find Larissa and Mike to be an unusual couple, as they didn't seem to have much in common. I was also surprised that Mike never seemed bothered by how much time Larissa and Chris spent together. Another thing I found a bit unrealistic was that Larissa never seemed to notice everything Chris did to protect and support her. As a head's up, there is lots of swearing.

Book ~ "Say You'll Remember Me" (2025) Abby Jimenez

From Goodreads ~ There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes - all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong.

... unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date - possibly the best in living history - Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.

Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life - and even a love - worth remembering.

Samantha found a kitten and took it to the vet to get checked out. The vet turns out to be a grumpy Xavier who advised euthanasia because its bumhole hadn't properly formed and it would eventually die if expensive surgery wasn't done. Samantha stormed out and raised enough money to save the kitten. She took the kitten back to Xavier for another check-up and he asked her out. They have a wonderful time that night and then she informed him that she was moving back home for good to California the next day. Her mother had dementia and the family was banding together to take care of her at home. 

I thought this story was okay. Samantha and Xavier were cute together ... her humour countered his seriousness. But things escalated quickly from there. I know she just met the guy but it wasn't until he was dropping her off at home after their date that he discovered she was moving from Minnesota to California in a couple of hours ... how could it not have come up in the conversation especially since she'd brought the kitten in to get a travel note? 

They acknowledged they had a great time but it couldn't go anywhere. Despite now being thousands of miles apart, Samantha and Xavier can’t stop thinking about each other. The next thing you know, Xavier is travelling to California a couple weeks later and it's like they'd been together forever. They are planning a life together but couldn't figure out how it was going to happen. 

Samantha's mother had dementia and the family had promised her she would live at home and never be put in a facility. So Samantha, her father, her maternal grandmother, her brother, her sister and her sister's two young sons all lived at the grandmother's house and took turns taking care of the mother. The mother became violent at times, didn't know who they were, wandered off, wouldn't take her medications, etc. I've never known anyone with dementia but shouldn't she have been a facility where trained people could take of her properly? It emotionally and physically beat them down but they were determined not to break the promise of keeping her at home. Really?! 

Neither Xavier nor Samantha had much money ... Xavier was still paying off his loans for his practice and Samantha was contributing to the household finances. Samantha then put her extra money along with the others into renovating their grandmother's house ... shouldn't the priority of the extra cash have gone towards getting the mother proper care instead of sprucing up the house? Xavier started working crazy hours at various clinics to make enough to fly back and forth to see Samantha in California and was burning himself out.

It's written in first person perspective alternating in Samantha and Xavier's voices (the chapters are labeled). There were references to characters in another author's stories I hadn't read so I didn't get them (I looked them up later ... it was weird the author would assume we all knew). As if the long distance relationship and the mother's dementia wasn't enough, there was more not so happy things that happened. I knew everything would be resolved at the end but I wasn't buying how it all came together. As a head's up, there is swearing and some adult activity.

The cat rescue I volunteer with had a kitten a couple years ago that was born without a bumhole and the surgery was expensive. Happily the cat is doing well now.

Book ~ "The Happy Ever After Playlist" (2020) Abby Jimenez

From Goodreads ~ Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can't seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a "take me home" look in his eyes is about to change everything. With her new pet by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker's owner reaches out. He's a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: he wants Tucker back.

Well, Sloan's not about to give up her dog without a fight. As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can't deny a connection. There's no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: with his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak?

Sloan was out and about when a dog darts out in front of her car and jumps in through her sunroof. She takes Tucker, the dog, home and tries to contact the owner whose info in on Tucker's tag. Sloan's fiancé had been killed in a motorcycle accident two years ago and she is still grieving but having Tucker is helping her get back into her old life. 

Two weeks later Jason, Tucker's owner, finally contacts her and wants his dog back. He's been hiking in New Zealand and assumed a friend was taking good care of Tucker. He's going to be in Australia for another couple of weeks and Sloan offers to keep Tucker until he gets back. During that time, they text and talk on the phone and get to know each other. When Jason gets back home, they connect and can't deny there is an attraction and start to plan a life together.

I thought this story was just okay. It started off cute and light but then went downhill for me with so much drama. I found it hard to believe that Sloan has spent the last two years in mourning but snapped out of it pretty quickly when she meets Jason ... within a month or so they are in love, she has given up everything for him and they planning a future around him and his music. The dialog and actions was unrealistic and cheesy ... though they are almost thirty and have had life experiences, they talk and act like young teenage girls. The ending wrapped up way too cleanly ... everything and everyone was perfect.

It's written in first person perspective alternating in Sloan and Jason's voices (the chapters are labeled). As a head's up, there is swearing (I don't have an issue with swearing but there was an excessive amount) and adult activity.

Book ~ "Life's too Short" (2021) Abby Jimenez

From Goodreads ~ When Vanessa Price quit her job to pursue her dream of traveling the globe, she wasn't expecting to gain millions of YouTube followers who shared her joy of seizing every moment. For her, living each day to its fullest isn't just a motto. Her mother and sister never saw the age of 30 and Vanessa doesn't want to take anything for granted.

But after her half-sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her infant daughter, life goes from "daily adventure" to "next-level bad" (now with bonus baby vomit in hair). The last person Vanessa expects to show up offering help is the hot lawyer next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. No one warned her that he was the Secret Baby Tamer or that she'd be spending a whole lot of time with him and his geriatric Chihuahua.

Now she's feeling things she's vowed not to feel. Because the only thing worse than falling for Adrian is finding a little hope for a future she may never see.

Vanessa is a famous travel vlogger with millions of YouTube followers. Her mother and sister had had ALS and had passed away before they were 30 and there's a 50/50 chance that Vanessa has it too so she assumes she'll pass away at 30 also. She saw the misery her sister had gone through with treatments and decided to instead spend possibly her last couple of years having fun and seeing the world rather than treatment before ALS takes her too. Then her drug-addicted half sister gets pregnant and abandons Grace, her infant daughter, with Vanessa. Needless to say, this changes Vanessa's life and puts her travel and lifestyle on pause.

Adrian is a lawyer who is Vanessa's next door neighbour and owns their building. Until the night he helps her out with Grace, they have never had any contact. They start hanging out together and become good friends with Vanessa loosening up the always needing to be control Adrian. Adrian would like more but Vanessa has made it clear she's not interesting in dating anyone (he is unaware of her possible death sentence) and he doesn't want to ruin their friendship. Vanessa realizes she would like more but Adrian isn't making any advances so she assumes he just wants to be friends.

This is the second book I've read by this author and for the most part I liked it. The interaction between Vanessa and Adrian was cute. It's written in first person perspective in Vanessa and Adrian's voices (the chapters are labeled). As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity

It does get heavy at times because Vanessa is supporting her family and is concerned about what will happen to them once she's gone ... her father is an unemployed hoarder, her half-sister is a drug addict, her well-educated half-brother doesn't want a normal 9 to 5 job and she needs to find an adoptive family for Grace because she assumes she's going to pass away soon. Plus Adrian has family issues of his own. Vanessa may or may not be dealing with a life threatening disease but she does nothing to see if she is. So it got a bit annoying as she keeps dwelling on dying and not getting confirmation if she may have ALS. Find out either way and then deal with it rather than assuming.

Book ~ "Just for the Summer" (2024) Abby Jimenez

From Goodreads ~ Justin has a curse and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: they'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea … and it just might work.

Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected – including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

Justin posts online on Reddit that he is cursed ... after he dates a woman and they break up after a few dates, the woman always finds their soulmate. When Emma comes across this, she responds to him because she has the same curse. He is in Minnesota and she is in Colorado and they start texting and chatting and get to know each other. Emma is a travel nurse and she and Maddy, her friend, take on new assignments in new places every couple of months. Their next stop is supposed to be Hawaii but Emma convinces Maddy to head to Minnesota instead so she can meet and date Justin so they can break their curse and move on to meet their soulmate. As Emma and Justin get to know and like like each other, though, their plan to break up after four dates becomes harder.

Both are coming with baggage. Emma's mother, Amber, had frequently abandoned her and Emma was eventually put in foster care in Maddy's home. Amber has popped in and out of Emma's life for years ... it's always nice at first but explodes before Amber disappears again. Emma always has hope that Amber will straighten out and come back for good but it next happens. Justin's mom is heading to prison which will leave Justin responsible for his three younger siblings for the next six years.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I liked it. It's a cute romance that does get heavy with the issues that Emma and Justin have to deal with with their families. It's written in first person perspective in Emma and Justin's voices (the chapters are labeled). As a head's up, there is swearing.