Samantha and Xavier have the best first date with all of the quirky Abby Jimenez vibes included - jumping into a lake fully clothed, spending the night in a UFO, and Come on Eileen. True perfection. But Samantha moves to California the next day to be closer to her mother, who has early-onset dementia. Can the two make long-distance work? Do they want to make long-distance work?

Abby Jimenez is and always will be an auto-buy author for me. I love all of her books, and Say You'll Remember Me was no exception. However, I gave it a 4 star rating because it wasn't my favorite of her books.

Abby Jimenez is one of my must-read authors, her books always jump to the top of my TBR. While Say You’ll Remember Me has many of the elements I love about her writing, it didn’t land quite as strongly for me as some of her previous novels.

That said, Samantha and Xavier are both beautifully developed characters. Xavier, a compassionate veterinarian, is grounded, loyal, and always willing to go the extra mile for those he loves. Samantha is vibrant, quirky, and puts her family above all else. Their connection is definitely a case of insta-love, but it felt genuine and sweet enough that it worked for me. The long-distance relationship they enter into early on adds a layer of realism and emotional strain, and I thought Abby did a great job capturing just how difficult and draining that can be.

The novel also dives into some emotionally heavy themes, including advanced dementia and past childhood abuse. These topics were approached with care and sensitivity, but for me, they sometimes overshadowed the central romance. I found myself more focused on the emotional weight of those plotlines than the development of Samantha and Xavier’s relationship.

I also felt the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly. After everything the couple went through, I would’ve loved more time with them after all the hurdles they had to jump through.

Still, this was an enjoyable read overall, filled with the kind of lovable, layered characters Abby Jimenez always delivers.

Say You’ll Remember me has all the feels. True to Abby Jimenez’s style- it is a rom-com with a twist! Add elements of family drama (dealing with family with dementia) and add a long-distance relationship to the mix and you have a page turner on your hands with moments of spice sprinkled throughout. Readers will devour this one! Can’t wait for more in the series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
336 pages

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦'𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘛𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵.”

this was such a cute book! definitely think i'm going to love this series and can't wait to get more in the future. i really hope there's some cameos!

xavier crawling hands & knees to get to this woman was sexy af. he was going to make it work no matter what it took. ladies, if he wanted to, HE WOULD. definition? xavier rush.

this was such an emotional romance for me. it covers such dark topics such as death, child abuse, animal cruelty, animal abuse, and neglect, losing a parent while their alive i.e. dementia. it was definitely tough at times to get through, but it's relatable and honest. these are characters you can see yourself in, and hopefully you find your xavier or sam to help you get through it.

read if you like:
▫️grumpy x sunshine
▫️soft for her
▫️love at first sight
▫️lots of talks about animals - kitties & puppies

Xavier and Samantha meet over a kitten. Right after their first date, Sam moves to California to help with her mother. Arc from NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this one. The romance between Xavier and Samantha was a bit insta-love for me, but they made it work. I like that there was no miscommunication or lack of communication that created the tension. Rather it was real world issues that they talked about like real human beings.
There are definitely trigger warnings for this, so be sure to read those if you are sensitive to various topics. There is a lot of talk about dementia and it is portrayed well. The toll it takes on a family is very much real and this book accurately covers that. Overall I was invested in the love story between Samantha and Xavier. I liked the side characters (rumor has it that book #2 will be released next year and I want to know who it features!) and this story is told very well.

Abby Jimenez really said, “You want emotional damage? Here you go.” The way this book handled grief, mental health, and that slow-burn, quietly devastating kind of love was so lovely. And yet, somehow, Abby balances the emotional heaviness with hope and tenderness in a way that makes the heartbreak worth it. The dynamic between the leads was so adult in the most refreshing way....full of respect, communication, and real vulnerability. And the dog?? Bonus points for emotional support pets that also function as plot devices.

My cohost and I talked on the pod about how Abby’s books always feel like therapy in novel form, and this one might be her best yet in that department. Every moment was earned, every beat hit with impact, and I loved how it didn’t shy away from messy realities. She writes emotional intimacy like no one else.

initial thoughts: Abby Jimenez can do no wrong.

really enjoyed this one, and happy to see it’s the first in another series!

This wasn’t my favorite in this series but I did like it. I found myself having a hard time picking it up and I think the story just wasn’t working for me. This book did make me cry. But it isn’t an Abby Jimenez book unless you shed a few tears

This is sadly my least favorite book from AJ. I was not happy with the constant real world references and the comparisons to our MMC to Rysand. I was really excited for this one too but it didn’t work for me.

I really liked this one, but definitely not as much as her other books. It felt like Abby had an agenda that she was trying to get across. I personally read for fun and to escape the real world and this one just felt like politics and religion were being put in the book so we knew where the author stood. I did love the couple and the backstory about the mom in this one though.

This is my very first Abby Jimenez read. I'm usually more of a romantasy/fantasy/sci-fi reader. This absolutely blew me away. The writing was superb, pacing perfect, and I loved all of the mentions of ACOTAR. Highly recommend.

I love Abby Jimenez - she's an auto buy for my store and my own personal bookshelf, but this one fell a little short for me. I felt like there was a lot of repeat and while I appreciated the topics that were covered in this one, I also felt like as two grown adults, they would have done what they did in the end a lot sooner. Anyway, I'm a little late to this review because I've already sold numerous copies in my store and definitely still recommend/discuss with my customers! Can't wait to see what's next in the series!

I soft DNF'd/paused my arc of Say You'll Remember Me under the 20% mark because I really just wasn't vibing with it right off the bat. Which is actually wild for me because I love Abby's books and I was actually pretty shocked. This was one of my highest anticipated reads of the year so I'm still a little broken hearted over this one. ( For full transparency this was a DNF under the 20% mark and no rating left on Goodreads or socials - rating for NetGalley purposes only!)

I'm not a huge fan of heavy/repetitive pop culture references in books and I wasn't really feeling the meet-cute insta love feeling. I am also very familiar with long distance relationships so maybe it's just a sensitive area for me. I prefer not to leave low ratings for books based on my personal preferences over quality of the book but this one really just wasn't doing it for me after a few attempts to start and not clicking.

I will still absolutely pick up her next release and I have loved every other book of hers I've read. I think the majority of Abby Jimenez fans will enjoy this book and I'm leaning towards a case of me just not being the right reader/audience for this book. Thank you so much for the arc opportunity Forever Pub!

Xavier is a vet with the heart of gold but a stony exterior and his calm, cool facade slowly melts when he meets Samantha - a mustard marketing guru with social media snark and a stubborn streak. Abby Jimenez takes you on a tragi-comedy journey in this one. From the most epic first date ever to a second date that crosses state lines, Jimenez throws in real family issues for both characters as they overcome the barriers for their romance and for their personal growth.

I don’t know how Abby does it, but she absolutely wrecks me—and then somehow puts me back together in the best possible way. Her love stories feel so real and hit so deep, I swear I can feel my cold Grinch heart growing three sizes with every page.

There’s no such thing as a perfect man—but Xavier Rush comes dangerously close. Gorgeous, godlike, and a vet who cuddles kittens? Yes, please. That is, until he opens his mouth and ruins it with one very wrong comment.
Samantha has no time for egos—or for love—especially with her family in crisis. One unforgettable night is all they get... until walking away turns out to be the hardest part. Because some connections don’t fade. And maybe one perfect night was only the beginning.

I’m just going to say it—everyone deserves an Xavier in their life. Jimenez has officially raised the bar, and honestly? Rhysand could NEVER. This book had me on a full-blown emotional rollercoaster, and I loved every chaotic, gut-punching second of it. I will never get tired of this new wave of romance authors tackling real-life issues with heart and honesty.

I’m hooked, and I already need the next one. Huge thanks to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC—please don’t forget me when the sequel drops!

3.5 stars!

Abby Jimenez has cemented herself as an auto buy author for me. While her books always have some serious topics in them, this book felt like it had a much sadder tone than her previous works. While I loved the love story, what I really liked was the real care between these two characters and how they tried to help each other work through their issues both past and present.

Abby Jimenez's "Say You'll Remember Me" is a powerful contemporary romance that tackles trauma, healing, and enduring love. The story beautifully portrays Graysen and Scarlett, two characters navigating their past wounds. Jimenez expertly blends humor with raw honesty, making their journey toward connection deeply resonant. Ultimately, it's a hopeful and satisfying read, proving that even after profound hurt, love and healing are possible. Jimenez gets better every book.

Can this author do anything outside of a five star read? Absolutely not. What a masterpiece. My childhood demons were exposed and then softly melded as we navigated some pretty intense emotions with some swoon worthy people. Damn Abby, just damn.

Thank you so much to Forever for the advanced copy. I flew through this read.

I was hooked after the first page. This is a beautiful story about long distance love. It is humorous, hopeful, tragic, entertaining, loving, heartbreaking and so much more. Xavier Rush is a veterinarian with a heart of gold that comes from a less than perfect family. Samantha works in marketing for a mustard company. They meet when she brings a small kitten to his office, and he believes the best option is to put her down. Of course, Samantha wants to prove him wrong, so she goes to another vet clinic so her kitten can have the life saving surgery. They end up going on a date and their chemistry is undeniable. There's one catch- Samantha is moving across the country from Minnesota to California to help take care of her mother that has dementia. My favorite read of the year!