3 Sentence Summary
Abby Jimenez’s “Yours Truly” explores the lives of two doctors, Dr. Briana Ortiz and Dr. Jacob Maddox. Their initial friction blossoms into a heartwarming friendship, leading to a romantic journey filled with tropes like forced proximity, fake dating, and unexpected pregnancy. This contemporary workplace romance explores the complexities of balancing personal and professional ambitions while uncovering the transformative power of love.
Summary Read Time: Less than 8 minutes
Actual Book Length: 416
First Published in: 2023
Below is the detailed yet quick Yours Truly book summary:
Part 1
We are introduced to Briana, a dedicated nurse working in the ER department of Royaume Northwestern Hospital. She’s known for her tenacity and commitment to her patients, but her colleagues are abuzz with gossip about the new doctor, who they’ve dubbed “Dr. Death” due to his unfortunate first-day track record. Briana, however, defends him, attributing the deaths to the severity of the patients’ conditions rather than his competence.
Briana is also dealing with personal issues. Her divorce is about to be finalized, and her best friend Alexis, who is pregnant and happily married, insists on coming to support her. Briana is reluctant to accept her help, preferring to handle her problems alone.
Briana is hopeful about becoming the chief of emergency medicine, a position currently held by Gibson, who is set to retire. However, Gibson decides to delay his retirement to allow a new doctor, Dr. Jacob Maddox, a chance at the position. Briana is disappointed and frustrated, feeling that she’s being overlooked despite her years of service and dedication.
Meanwhile, we meet Jacob, who is dealing with his own set of problems. He’s been summoned by his brother Jeremiah and his ex-girlfriend Amy to a meeting at a bar, which he dreads due to his dislike for crowded, noisy places. He’s also struggling with his first day at the new hospital, where he’s earned the unfortunate nickname “Dr. Death” and is feeling out of place and overwhelmed.
Briana starts to see Jacob in a new light after observing him interact with a little girl and her doll. She feels bad for her initial judgment of him and starts to think that he might be one of the good ones.
Part 2
Jacob and Briana start their fake relationship as a way to help each other out of difficult situations.
Jacob is trying to get over his ex-girlfriend, Amy, who is now engaged to his brother. He hopes that pretending to be in a relationship with Briana will help him move on from Amy.
Briana, on the other hand, needs financial help for her brother Benny’s medical treatment. Jacob, being wealthy, offers to help her out financially in exchange for her pretending to be his girlfriend.
This arrangement benefits both of them – Jacob gets a chance to heal his broken heart, and Briana gets the financial help she needs for her brother’s treatment. Over time, however, their fake relationship starts to feel real as they develop genuine feelings for each other.
Still, Briana and Jacob start exchanging letters, which seems to help Briana deal with her anxiety. The letters bring a sense of calm and happiness to her life.
Jacob and Briana share stories about their work. Jacob talks about a patient who ate a whole container of sugar-free gummy bears and suffered severe diarrhea as a result. They both work twelve-hour shifts with alternating days off.
There’s a significant development in the story when Jacob’s brother, Benny, receives news that he has a donor. This brings a wave of joy and relief to everyone, especially Briana.
Part 3
Jacob and Briana are seen interacting more intimately, with Briana experiencing a flutter in her stomach when she touches Jacob, indicating a growing attraction between them.
They attend a family gathering at Jacob’s house where they meet his family members. Briana is introduced as an ER physician like Jacob. The family seems to accept her, and they all engage in casual conversation. Jacob’s house is described as lively and chaotic, with a parrot that squawks obscenities, adding a touch of humor to the scene.
During the family dinner, Jacob’s family shares embarrassing stories about him, much to his chagrin. Briana, however, offers him a reassuring squeeze, indicating her growing comfort and connection with him. After the dinner, Jacob and Briana discuss their plan to announce their relationship at work. They also plan to visit each other’s houses, furthering their bond.
They both attend a party thrown by Jacob’s mother where Jacob expresses his desire for Briana to stay with him, indicating his growing feelings for her. Jacob and Briana share a close moment there. They hug each other, and Briana feels a strong attraction towards Jacob, hinting at the possibility of their relationship becoming more than just a pretense.
Briana overhears a heated argument between Jacob and Amy, his ex-girlfriend and his brother’s fiancée. The argument reveals that both Jacob and Amy still harbor feelings for each other, which leaves Briana heartbroken and feeling like a second choice.
Briana is deeply hurt and feels betrayed. She had started to develop genuine feelings for Jacob, but now she feels like she was just a distraction for him, a way to get over Amy. She also discovers lipstick on Jacob’s collar, which she assumes is Amy’s, further fueling her feelings of betrayal.
Part 4
Jacob, unaware that Briana overheard his argument with Amy, asks Briana out on a real date. Briana, however, rejects him, believing that he is only asking her out because he wants to move on from Amy and not because he genuinely likes her. This leaves Jacob feeling crushed and confused.
Briana decides to leave town for a few days to clear her head. She goes to stay with her friend Alexis, where she opens up about her feelings for Jacob and her disappointment with the situation.
Meanwhile, Jacob is left to grapple with his feelings. He is deeply hurt by Briana’s rejection and is unsure of what to do. He has a heart-to-heart with his mother, who encourages him to keep trying with Briana.
Briana eventually comes back to town but soon Levi Olsen, a childhood friend of her, also returns to town around the same time. He’s recently divorced as well and is looking to reconnect with old friends. He reaches out to Briana on Facebook and they start catching up. Levi invites Briana for drinks to catch up and they start spending time together.
Briana reveals to her mother that she’s been invited to have drinks with Levi Olsen, a childhood friend who recently moved back to town. Her mother warns her about potential jealousy from Jacob, but Briana dismisses the concern, insisting that Levi is just a friend. However, she can’t help but feel that her relationship with Jacob isn’t real.
Briana, her mother, and Benny are driving home from Jacob’s house after a dinner. They discuss Jacob’s eccentric family, including his taxidermist father and a parrot that screams about Bieber. Briana’s mother suggests that Jacob is in love with Briana, despite her protests. She also advises Briana to marry a rich man who loves her more than she loves him.
Part 5 – How Does “Yours Truly” Book End?
Jacob is struggling with his feelings for Briana. He’s aware that their relationship is a facade, but he can’t help but wish it were real. He’s also bothered by Briana’s constant texting with Levi which makes it tough form him to sleep. Jacob spends the night worrying about various scenarios involving Briana and Levi.
At the wedding party of Amy and Jeremiah, they announce that they’re expecting a baby. The news hits Jacob hard, and he has a panic attack. He uses his escape phrase, “In this economy?”, and flees the room. Briana finds Jacob in the basement, having a breakdown. She realizes that the news of Amy’s pregnancy has shattered Jacob’s hopes of ever being with Amy.
Jacob and Briana share a tender moment where Jacob kisses Briana’s shoulder and collarbone. This moment is interrupted by their friends, but it’s clear that their relationship is deepening. The wedding also serves as a turning point for Jacob and Briana’s relationship. It’s at this event that they both realize the depth of their feelings for each other.
Briana locks herself in the bathroom after a passionate moment with Jacob, leaving him confused and hurt. She’s overwhelmed by her feelings for him and scared of the intensity of their relationship. Jacob, on the other hand, is left outside the bathroom door, not knowing what to do. He’s whiplashed by the sudden change in Briana’s behavior and can’t understand why she’s suddenly pulling away.
The book ends with Jacob and Briana finally confessing their love for each other. They’ve overcome their fears and insecurities and are ready to face the future together.
