Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

5*

On his first day of work in the ER, Jacob Maddox is dubbed “Doctor Death” by the nursing staff after he loses 7 patients. If that isn’t bad enough, his severe social anxiety leads to some faux pas that give everyone, especially Dr. Briana Ortiz, the impression that he’s rude as well. In Briana’s eyes, his bad reputation is cemented when she’s told by her superior that her presumed promotion to Head of Emergency Medicine isn’t a guarantee since the new guy is now in the running. So, imagine her confusion when more than one friend tells her she’s misjudged him and that he’s one of the good ones. Who would have thought Jacob’s letter of apology would be the start of a beautiful friendship?

In less talented and superficial hands, this might have been just another simple enemies-to-lovers workplace romance. However, Jimenez gives us LAYERS. Although Jacob struggles to be understood and to navigate social situations, he is one of the most empathetic and altruistic characters ever written, and it’s this care and concern for others that leads him to donate a kidney to Briana’s younger brother. In return, she offers to be his fake girlfriend through the minefield created when his ex-girlfriend and younger brother decide to marry, his family withholding their acceptance of the new relationship until they’re sure Jacob is past his heartbreak. As the weeks pass leading up to the wedding and the transplant surgery, feelings between them begin to grow, but the inevitable misunderstanding gets in the way. Briana doesn’t trust men or her own judgment after being abandoned by her father as a child and her ex-husband in the worst possible way, so is there any chance that they’ll ever have a future together?

In one of the most poignant scenes in this touching romance, Briana says of Jacob, “He let me look into his soul.” Jimenez, with her gift for crafting complex characters navigating some of life’s hardest challenges, has given her readers that same glimpse into the souls of both main characters. In so doing, she has left us with an indelible impression of the power of selfless, harmless, enduring love. Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Forever Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter

4*

This debut author’s book definitely dialed-in to the current teen social media culture. On the plus side, I love the YA lit fandom angle being such a big fan of the genre. I also appreciate that it’s a YA novel in which friends are genuine and there’s no focus (other than some negative comments online) on bullying. The secondary characters are well-developed and I appreciate the focus on family and the way people process grief.

 

Unfortunately, I seriously disliked Halle. Yes, she suffers from crippling anxiety and low self-esteem, but it’s never clear where that comes from other than never staying in one place long enough to make friends and establish an identity. Her loving family supports her and her social media following should be proof that she’s successful at what she does. It shouldn’t take an acceptance to NYU and invitation to a BookCon panel to validate her. However, that doesn’t excuse her selfishness and dishonesty. Trust is essential in relationships and she betrayed everyone’s. It’s astounding that everyone forgave her, honestly. I recommend this title because teen book lovers will appreciate the YA lit focus and the DM format. 

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Simon & Schuster BYR through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

5*

Nina Hill, die-hard bookworm and trivia champ, lives a relatively solitary life in Los Angeles surrounded by books both at home and at work. Her favorite friend is her cat Phil with whom she has two-sided conversations, a consequence of her over-active imagination and loneliness. It’s not difficult to see that her need for structure and extreme social anxiety are the result of abandonment, first by the father she never knew and then by her successful, globe-trotting mother who left parenting to a nanny. Her “anxiety was like her anti-superpower, the one that came out unbidden in a crisis.” So what’s she to do when, on the cusp of her 30th birthday, she learns that her father has died and left her an inheritance and a motley group of relatives? Add to the mix a trivia adversary, who occupies too much of her thoughts and whose presence seems to cancel out her anxiety, and her carefully constructed life starts pulling apart at the seams. Is the possibility of belonging and loving worth the risk or will she push everyone away to keep safe in her cocoon?

Waxman uses a third-person narrator who invites readers into Nina’s quirky, humorous thoughts and life accompanied by a cornucopia of wacky friends, family and the unique character of the City of LA. It’s a thoroughly engaging story with many LOL moments and a sweet romance, too. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.