Susan Tallman has been writing about art and artists in The New York Review since 2019—on Vija Celmins, Gerhard Richter (“the poet of uncertainty”), the history of craft, Philip Guston, Hilma af Klint (“there are lots of snails”), Jasper Johns, and the “compositional aplomb” of Kerry James Marshall, among other subjects. In the May 11 […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/04/29/feeling-your-way-in-the-dark-susan-tallman/
Sophia Rose is here with a review of Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez. Come see why she enjoyed this diverse, letter writing, heartfelt fake date romance.
Yours Truly
by Abby Jimenez
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Rating: 
Heat Level: 
A novel of terrible first impressions, hilarious second chances, and the joy in finding your perfect match.
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.
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Two emergency room doctors have not one and not even just two disastrous encounters so probably not fated to be or even fated to be good working colleagues until a heart-felt letter is given.
Certain buzz words will always get me to sit up and take notice. In a romance, ‘letter writing’ is a biggie. Definitely time to dive into the writing of an author I’ve heard much praise for in the last year or two.
In an alternating chapter change of narrator format, Yours Truly introduces first Briana’s perspective and then Jacob’s.
Briana is on the eve of her divorce to her cheating husband who is with the other woman. It’s been over a year so she should be adjusted and she thinks she is, but no… her best friend has married and moved off to the country (see previous book Part of Your World), she’s forced to compete with some new guy for the soon to be open department chief spot with some new guy, and her baby brother needs a kidney donor and is not doing well in the meantime. Something’s gotta give and she chooses to rain down all her pent-up emotions and frustrations on new guy. He’s a jerk, right? She decides even if a few friends know him and say he’s one of the good guys. And, then he writes her a letter.
Jacob suffers social anxiety and now after starting his first day on a new job where they whisper ‘Dr. Death’ in his wake and he got a rather cold welcome in the emergency ward and managed to rile up one of the other doctors, he has to go sit down in a noisy, crowded bar with his brother who is dating Jacob’s ex who became his ex when she left him for his brother. No surprise, they’re getting married. He manages to get through it, but just barely. His boss who is retiring wants him to take the chief spot and that fellow doctor is up for the spot- oh, and she has a brother needing a kidney transplant- no wonder she let him have it for bad timing and words that came out wrong. Obviously talking just gets him into trouble, so he writes her a letter.
Yours Truly drew me in from the start. Briana was hanging in there by a thread and she came across as raw, vulnerable, and all too real with how she handled her life woes and relationships. I thought for sure I would love her the best and then switching to Jacob’s chapter and making that same electrifying connection with his character, I was reading one of those uncommon romances where I was in love with both characters deeply and equally. Jacob is a sweetheart through and through and Briana is not sweet, but she is good people. They have some bad moments in person, but then the letters where thoughts can be formed and thought through before committing them to writing was perfect for them.
I confess I heard this book was about a romance set around letters and pictured an entirely different scenario- a typical set up which I do love, but this was better for these people and their situation. This ended up a fake date set up when Jacob asked for a big favor. He did a big thing for her, too, but this is also big because she must face his dramatic family and that awk-awk-awkard sitch with his brother and ex’s wedding.
On a side note, I love books seeped in all sorts of diversity that feels organic to the story and Yours Truly has that. I appreciate mostly that the diversity takes several different forms and is just there without it being practically flagged for me as several contemporaries tend to do these days.
Amazon | Audible
Abby Jimenez is a New York Times bestselling author and Food Network champion living in Minnesota. Abby founded Nadia Cakes out of her home kitchen back in 2007. The bakery has since gone on to win numerous Food Network competitions and has amassed an international following. Abby loves a good romance, coffee, doglets, and not leaving the house.
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Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2023/04/yours-truly-by-abby-jimenez.html
The Mental Fight of Your Life shares with readers practical solutions on how to deal with challenges in marriage using Christian values. Why was this an important book for you to write?
This book was essential to me as I looked up stats, and there is an awful large amount of single women in their thirties, and forty’s that I know personally. I said to myself, it’s not that hard to find someone or if you’re a woman to be found, so I did some research and interviews, and I realized that we as men needed to find ourselves and learn to be men again. The Bible says that the man is the head of the house, and That comes with great responsibility, so the idea to fight against anything that causes a man to want to give up hence the creation of this book.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about marriages and their success?
The misconception is that marriage is just a piece of paper. You see, so is money. However, we get up daily and work hard for it. Why not your marriage? I read a stat that says men live longer lives when married, and that says a lot. A good woman is an investment, but it’s up to the man to find a good one, not just someone he wants to sleep with.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
It was very important to share that we both must love self. You cannot begin to fully love others if you don’t love yourself. Self-love is very important.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger to help you with your relationships?
I wish someone would have told me that when you love, you would have such a fight on your hand to keep the passion alive. When you are young, you only see the beginning stages of a relationship, but once you get one and the butterflies leave, you must fight to keep the love going.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/04/28/a-good-woman-is-an-investment/
Kenny Loui, an individual with a Ph.D. who spends his days at the local arcade, is not your typical hero. Instead, his mission in life is to rescue as many plush animals as possible from the claw machines that keep them captive. Throughout his journey, Kenny shares with the reader many valuable life lessons he has learned along the way. However, when someone threatens the tranquility of the arcade, how will Kenny choose to defend his neighborhood oasis?
Life Lessons from a UFO Catcher by Kenny Loui is a surprising and delightful slice-of-life manga that exceeded my expectations. Initially anticipating a gritty account of UFO chasing and local horror, I was pleasantly surprised to find a charming story about a man’s efforts to rescue plushies while sharing wisdom with others. Each chapter is an “episode” in which Kenny demonstrates the significance of perseverance, kindness, and patience through his fight to liberate the plushies. The art by Yamawe is outstanding, with each panel bursting with life and vibrant color and the cute plushies adding their unique magic to the tale. This manga would make an excellent comedy anime, and I eagerly anticipate the next installment of Kenny’s exciting exploits.
Life Lessons of a UFO Catcher is a whimsical autobiographical story with charming art, sage advice, and an entertaining narrative. It’s an excellent choice for a rainy day read, containing mild language, mild violence, and mild fan service, and is recommended for middle-grade readers and up. This delightful tale of one man’s mission to rescue plushies is perfect for fans of slice-of-life anime and comedic, light-hearted adventures.
Pages: 150 | ASIN : B0B9KD2G4W
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/04/28/life-lessons-from-a-ufo-catcher/
You Gotta Die Sometime follows a salesman at a convention accused of murder who is now on the run while also being the target for murder. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I wanted to tell a story set during the Depression era about a guy struggling, like so many others back then, to find his purpose in the world and keep a roof over his head. He goes to the convention to receive an award and even though the award isn’t much, it gives him a sense of accomplishment and pride. Things turn upside down when his complicated past catches up with him.
Howard is an interesting character that readers are drawn to. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I wanted him to be an Everyman who maneuvers his way through a series of dramatic events, some brought on by man and some by nature. I wanted to stray away from making him all good. In fact, most of his good deeds are fueled by a need to counter bad decisions and make some sort of amends with the world.
How did the mystery develop for this story? Did you plan it before writing, or did it develop organically?
I start every novel organically but start outlining and mapping things out as I get deeper into it. This means going back and forth sometimes, rewriting and editing until it all comes together. The book starts off with him almost getting murdered. When I sat down to write it, like him, I had no idea why or who was trying to kill him.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
My next book is a spin-off from my first novel, Machine of War. There was a detective in that book who I really enjoyed, so I’m giving him his own story. The Bum Leg should be available in November.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/04/29/his-complicated-past/