A Therapist’s Review of “Yours Truly” by Abby Jimenez
A Romance Novel that Explores Mental Health
My #1 source of self-care is listening to audiobooks. When I have time to be alone, I pop in my AirPods and listen to an audiobook. I love immersing myself into another story, learning from non-fiction, and also learning from fictional stories and characters.
I recently listened to Abby Jimenez’s Yours Truly, which is #2 in the Part of Your World series. Note: You don’t have to read the first book in the series to enjoy Yours Truly unless you really want to know the back story of the main character’s friend and her husband.
::SPOILER ALERT::
If you like to read books without any knowledge of the characters, plot, etc. Stop here. Go and read Yours Truly to learn more about anxiety, depression, and trauma.
If you’re willing to know a little more about the characters’ personalities and mental health continue on! I promise not to share critical plot points….yet. Further on in this blog I’ll give you another ::SPOILER ALERT:: that involves a critical plot point towards the end of the book.
Yours Truly centers around Dr. Briana Ortiz and Dr. Jacob Maddox in their “enemies to lovers” trope. Briana is separated and very soon to be divorced and Jacob is getting over a long term relationship. Briana is struggling with her divorce with some signs of depression, but is getting on with her life as a doctor and has solid relationships. Due to the nature of her divorce she is hesitant to trust another partner. Jacob is highly anxious and recognizes that his anxious tendencies were not a good match with his previous girlfriend.
I instantly knew I was going to like this book when Jacob was acknowledging his own anxiety and how he copes with it. Throughout the book you get a peak into his mental health care. He takes medicine, he knows his social limits, he exercises regularly, he limits alcohol to reduce his anxiety, he journals, and he takes care of houseplants (swoon).
Abby Jimenez did her homework and understands anxiety very very well. As a mental health therapist, I was thrilled every time Jacob’s coping skills were focused on. But Jimenez also wrote about the struggles of anxiety AND how anxiety symptoms can impact relationships.
Jacob recognizes that he has social anxiety so he manages by planning ahead as much as possible. Going to a restaurant? Look at the menu ahead of time to know what to order? Meeting someone new? Plan some questions to ask in advance? Going to an unfamiliar place? If possible, check out the venue ahead of time, or look at pictures online.
Jacob and Briana have to navigate how to communicate and because of Briana’s trust issues with partners, and Jacob’s anxiety about messing up another relationship, they are not always forthcoming with each other.
I cannot tell you how many times I have seen this play out in real life. In my family, amongst my friends, and with my clients, it happens ALL. THE. TIME.
Someone is not fully honest with a partner as a means of protecting themselves or the other person. And guess what? Miscommunication gets out of control and the relationship struggles.
If you find yourself struggling with how to communicate effectively with anyone in your life, not just a romantic partner, talk to a therapist! Your therapist would love to help you find effective ways to communicate. Better yet, work with your therapist to figure out why you struggle with open and honest communication. Oftentimes it’s because of anxiety, depression, and/or traumatic experiences. Just like Briana and Jacob.
Before I get to the next spoiler and you choose to stop reading, I want to also point out that Jimenez explains the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. AND after the book, she shares her own experiences that inspired Yours Truly. I highly recommend reading her story.
::SPOILER ALERT #2::
This is a big plot point spoiler. You’ve been warned.
Towards the end of Yours Truly we learn even more about Briana’s trauma experience in her marriage. She is triggered by seeing her ex-husband with his pregnant new wife. Briana spirals. She instantly has a trauma response and closes in on herself. And you guessed it…does not communicate truthfully with Jacob.
Thankfully, Jacob’s mother is a renowned couples therapist and gives Jacob insight into Briana’s behavior. Jacob is encouraged to talk to Briana and slowly Briana opens up and….well it’s a romance novel so it ends well for them.
No more spoilers!
I will be recommending Yours Truly to most people - in my personal and professional life. It captures the nuances of anxiety and trauma and miscommunication so well that we could all learn from it. It will be helpful to individuals who can relate to Jacob and/or Briana, but it will also help the loved ones of people like Briana and Jacob understand them better.
