Emergency-room doctor Briana Ortiz has a lot going on in her life. She's in the middle of a divorce, her brother has moved in because he can't (or won't) take care of himself while he waits for a kidney donor, and there's a new doctor on her rotation--one who will probably get the promotion Briana wants since he's a man. She hates him even before he breaks her phone and is rude to the nurses. Dr. Jacob Maddox is having the worst first day of work ever. It seems he can't put a foot right with the ER nurses or sexy Dr. Ortiz. Jacob isn't great with people on his best days since his social anxiety makes small talk very difficult. So, to introduce himself and apologize, he writes Briana a letter. Despite her initial irritations, she finds herself writing back. This heartfelt romantic comedy deals respectfully with mental health issues and weaves them into the story so deftly that the story would suffer without these plot points. The protagonists are also beautifully developed and feel authentic. VERDICT Fans of Jimenez (Part of Your World) will clamor for this book, and first-time readers of hers will want to explore her backlist.--Heather Miller Cover

In this contemporary romance, two emergency room doctors, both recovering from messy breakups, form a close, comforting friendship and perhaps something more. Dr. Briana Ortiz has enough on her plate. She's in the midst of finalizing her divorce, and her brother's on a deadline to find a kidney donor. Now she has to worry that the new doctor, Jacob Maddox, is there to nab her promotion to chief of emergency medicine. Admittedly, Jacob--who has social anxiety--doesn't make the best first impression on Bri, telling her off for bumping into him in the hall. To make amends, he writes her a letter to explain himself and apologize, and the tension between them softens as their letters to each other keep coming. Bri realizes Jacob isn't there to undermine her, and Jacob gets to see Bri's more vulnerable side. When Jacob offers to be Bri's brother's kidney donor and Bri agrees to be Jacob's pretend girlfriend for a wedding, it's easy to wonder what kept these two apart in the first place. The answer: not much. Of course, the two are carrying some heavy baggage from prior relationships, but it seems like a minor obstacle when compared to the genuine connection Jacob and Bri share. This is a cute, slow-burn romance with plenty of funny moments and emotional challenges, though the focus seems to be on the leads finally realizing what's been in front of them all along through grand and sometimes unnecessary machinations. Did this need a fake dating subplot? Or epistolary flirting? Not really, but Jimenez manages to pepper these adorable tropes throughout without making them feel too gimmicky. A solid contemporary with a balance of humor and lasting emotional beats. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Bestseller Jimenez (Part of Your World) charms with this poignant and often hilarious romance between ER doctors. Briana Ortiz is initially suspicious that new hire Jacob Maddox is out to steal her promotion, but Jacob surprises her by taking himself out of the running. Both are recovering from messy breakups--Jacob with an ex who is now engaged to his brother, Briana with a husband who gaslighted her while carrying on a yearslong affair--and as they grow closer through letters, they help each other recover. However, the idea of faking a relationship to convince Jacob's family that he's moved on could upend their fragile dynamic. Indeed, the ensuing series of communication issues will leave readers wanting to shake some sense into Jimenez's leads. Still, Jacob is a dream boyfriend (down to his willingness to donate a kidney for Briana's brother), and the romantic angst rings true in light of the characters' traumatic past relationships. The laugh-out-loud scenes--including Briana's tale of glitter-bomb revenge and the introduction of a foul-mouthed parrot--are the real highlight. Add in sparkling prose, skillful plotting, and a sensitive approach to Jacob's clinical anxiety, and the result is contemporary romance gold. (Apr.)

To prove he is completely over his ex-girlfriend, who will be marrying his younger brother in three months, Dr. Jacob Maddox invents a girlfriend for himself. Unfortunately, when Jacob's sister, Jewel, finds him having lunch soon thereafter with Dr. Briana Ortiz, she makes the obvious assumption and promptly informs the rest of the Maddox clan that she has just met Jacob's new romantic interest. After their disastrous first professional encounter, Jacob can't imagine that Briana would help him out by playing his girlfriend. But a surprisingly sweet letter from Jacob and a selfless act on his part have the newly divorced, romantically bruised Briana wondering if she may have found the single gal's dating equivalent of a unicorn: a truly nice guy. As with her previous superbly crafted romances, Jimenez (Part of Your World, 2022) once again, with empathic finesse and keen insight, ingeniously brings some of life's more serious topics to a heartrending, heart-melting romance. Yours Truly celebrates both the life-changing importance of finding someone who loves you for the person you really are as well as the not-to-be- underestimated power of a handwritten note.