Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

38 reviews

liciaaaaa's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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meeklovestoread's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I should've never waited so long to read this book. Like I knew I was going to like it, but I didn't expect to LOVE it as much as I did. This book dragged so many emotions out of me. I laughed out loud so many times, I cried, I smiled, I was sad, I was frustrated, etc. I enjoy sooooo many things about this book. This is the first Abby Jimenez book I've ever read and it most definitely wont be my last.

Things I love:
  • Jacob Maddox!!!!!😍 Oh my gosh! I love him! I love him! I love him! He's literally the standard and the ultimate book boyfriend! I can't even count the amount of times I was smiled and cried over the things that he did for Briana in this book. Ugh, it makes me teary-eyed just thinking about it. He's the embodiment of comfort. He feels like home! I hope everyone finds themselves a Jacob!🥰

  • Briana Ortiz! I love her too! Her spunk, her attitude, her charisma, her just overall care for her loved ones! 

  • Jacob x Briana!❤️ The chemistry was off the charts. Every scene they had, they delivered! The inside jokes, the letters, their little phrases to each other, etc. I loved how attentive BOTH characters are to each other's needs. Usually, it's always the man going out of his way to shower the girl so it's nice to see that both characters go out of their way to go above and beyond for one another. It was really nice to see! I love how Briana always went out of her way to defend Jacob even when he isn't around and I love how Jacob always prioritizes Briana's feelings and I love how they promise not to be "harmless" to one another.
    This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think the third act conflict made sense. I love seeing Briana's reluctance to commit to Jacob because it honestly makes sense considering what she went through. I've never related to a situation more than when Briana broke down because she couldn't believe that Jacob could love her unconditionally and with good intentions. When going through the trauma that Briana went through you internalize not trusting your heart and ergo the decisions you make with it. And in turn, it may cause you to sabotage the one good thing you have in fear that it won't be true.😔 Reading those scenes made me realize just how traumatic my own experiences are and how feelings like this shouldn't go unmanaged because they really do leave a lasting imprint on you whether you notice it or not. I really admired how Jacob legit goes out of his way day in and day out to make sure Briana never has to question his love for her. I hope someone will do that for me one day!😟💕

  • the anxiety representation; Now, I don't have anxiety, however, in stressful situations, I do tend to get very anxious so, although I couldn't relate to everything that Jacob was going through, I did relate to a lot of things that he said and thought about and it just felt so great to be seen! 🤧😢Becuase I check the routes of places before I drive too as well as parking. I like to check the menus before I order too (not due to anxiety though). And I tend to overthink every bad interaction I have too! Just soo many other things. The representation in this book was sooo good!

  • I liked how towards the end they're not pinning the two girls (Amy and Briana) against each other.

Things I didn't like:
  • the miscommunication (but I hear that's common in all of Abby Jimenez's books so I guess I'll have to deal with it)
  • I thought it was sooo weird how the book was encouraging the siblings of Briana and Jacob to get together and that they actually did. That's so weird. They're literally brother and sister-in-law. lt contributed nothing to the story. We could've done without it. It was one of the few reasons why this book wasn't a five-star for me. That redundant addition to the story was so weird and literally did nothing for the story. Gave me the ick!😖🤮

Spice Rating: 🌶️.5/5

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callie_castle's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

For me this was a story that started off strongly but in the third half went completely off the rails. It felt like Abby forgot it was a romantic comedy, and the last third of the book suffers greatly for it. I completely hated a character I started off liking and ruined any affection I had for her.

I am well aware that trauma changes the brain. I’m a person who has faced their own trauma in life -but everything Brianna did in the last third is completely inexcusable. She was beyond cruel and quite frankly how Jacob handled the way she treated him has me worried for his wellbeing.

I’m so disappointed that this book ruined everything it had built and destroyed its own story. A single book should not manage to jump the shark like this.

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angelica95's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


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julieshuff's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I was getting super fed up with Briana, tbqh, but I do feel like the author put a lot of work into representing depression and trauma. As someone who went through her own health scare during the pandemic, I could relate 200% to the author note at the end of the book. Jacob is an absolute angel in every possible way-I want a cinnamon roll like this in my life. 

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yvo_about_books's review against another edition

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4.5

 Finished reading: January 15th 2024


“I always think that when we’re quiet, we’re agreeing to be harmless to each other. That we’re just sharing the same space and letting each other exist exactly as we are, and neither of us would hurt or upset the other one.”

I tend to enjoy Abby Jimenez' writing, and I have been looking forward to this sequel ever since I read Part Of Your World a little over a year ago. There was something about Briana's character that made me want to spend more time with her, and I fully expected this story to be another winner... And I have to say that I enjoyed Yours Truly even more than the first book! This has a lot to do with both Jacob and the epistolary element; I ADORED the letters and messages between the two main characters. The story is told with a dual POV structure, which is a great way to get both sides of the story. I loved Jacob so much more than Briana, and his social anxiety is very well described. Briana could get a bit frustrating at times, and I can't say that I was a big fan of the whole miscommunication trope. Especially when it was SO obvious how the two felt about each other... This was probably the only reason I didn't give Yours Truly the full five stars, because there was just too much unnecessary conflict. I still loved the book in general though, and even the sexy scenes towards the ending couldn't change my feelings. Make sure to have some tissues at hand, because the final part will make it hard to keep it dry! This story has once again shown to me why Abby Jimenez is on my list of favorite romance authors, and I already can't wait for her next book. 

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tiffanyylovesbooks's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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rileymc_queen's review against another edition

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I cried the entire way through. I love all of her books but I especially loved this one! 

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dr_readmore_17's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I loved that this was a romance where the main characters were so flawed with real issues. Hearing the author’s backstory to the book made it even more touching. 

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marinajonesreads's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Briana and Jacob are two of my favorite people. Abby brought me in, fully. Anxiety felt real. Their slow burn love felt real.

I hated the miscommunication trope, though. It always frustrates me. But the resolution was so sweet that it made up for it. 

May Ava and Victoria be as best of friends as their mothers.

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