A very touching romance with a serious undertone. The story really described the difficulty of keeping a loved one with advanced dementia in their home and how 24-7 exhausting it can be for the family members. The long-distance romance is so painful to see how hard it is for hard working professionals to navigate the costs of commuting to see each other. And yet, the humor shines through until the final happy ending.

2.5 stars. I typically love Abby's books but this one was unfortunately my least favorite of her books that I've read. It is VERY instalove (like first date and it felt like marriage/commitment was being thought about). There were also multiple mentions of Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses used as the description for Xavier. Sometimes I don't mind pop culture-type references like this but it felt overdone and lazy. If someone hasn't read that series or knows what that character looks like, they have no idea what Xavier's appearance is supposed to be.

I honestly liked Xavier and Samantha as a couple in general but I had issues with the overall story/plot. Most of their relationship was long distance and it just felt like the same thing continuing to happen over and over again. When they were together, it sometimes felt like we got more of Samantha's family and their problems than the main characters actually being together as a couple. This felt like more of a book around Samantha's family and her and Xavier's relationship was almost secondary.

It annoyed me that it felt like Xavier was the only one going to Samantha and not her trying to visit him. And when there was an excuse for why she couldn't afford it (while Xavier was working himself to the bone), it fell so flat. And the dad drama toward the end?? I about through my kindle across the room!!!! FOR WHY???

Overall, it just feels like this story did Xavier and Samantha an injustice. I could definitely see myself enjoying their love story if done in a different way.

4.5 stars! There’s a lot to say about this book. I think first of all you have to know what you’re getting into - it’s not your typical lovey perfect romance and honestly I think that’s perfectly fine.

In some ways it was nice to see a book talk about the hard and nitty gritty parts of life. Especially in respect to Samantha and Xavier’s long distance relationship, this book details the push and pull of love being an amazing feeling and experience and really challenging to fight for at times. I thought that aspect of it was handled really well.

There are some other very heavy themes in the book that can get to you if you’re not in the right headspace to read it. I would say too the ending in a way felt a bit more abrupt compared to the dense content of the bulk of the story. Overall well done and a different take on a romance than what’s seen typically.

This was so depressing. I did not even care that much about the pop culture references. It was simply too depressing.

Pros
- Xavier, I really appreciated the effort he put into the relationship but his situation was stressing me out so I don't even know if this is that much of a pro.
- The animals seemed cute

Con
Where do I fucking start? To be clear, I am not an Abby Jimenez hater; she has created 3 of my favorite books I have ever read. But this....
- One of the more minor details is that this book did feel a bit insta love. When he asked her on a date at the beginning, I didn't really understand why he did this or why she said yes. I probably could have looked past this if it wasn't for the rest of the book.
- This book was back-to-back trauma and depressing ass shit. Something I have appreciated about Abby Jimenez in the past was the very real situations people can be put through in her stories. But she typically balances this well with the good aspects of life and a healthy relationship. This had no fucking balance, any time there was a SENTENCE of happiness, something horrible happened
- The dad is cheating on his wife with dementia. Are you fucking with me??? I cannot believe that this was just glanced over, and there were no repercussions for this.
- One of the parts of Xavier's backstory is an abusive family. Now, there is a way to do this to make the family awful while also showing how Xavier did not let this stop him. I simply could not get over Xavier's dad drowning 4 DIFFERENT LITTERS OF PUPPIES. It felt like so much overkill and it just completely took me out of the story.
- Grandma dying, Samantha losing her job, Xavier's financial situation. It was so stressful to read this, and it was making me anxious while reading this.
- The grandmother also died because she didn't want to get the medical treatment she needed because she didn't want her family to have another person to take care of. Oh, did I mention this happened on Christmas?
- Additionally, I felt like the relationship did not even have the proper time to develop BECAUSE of all this other stuff happening to them constantly.
- From the beginning, Xavier talks about the financial strain of having a vet clinic and the loans and how this was part of what kept him in Minnesota. By the end of the story, he then opens ANOTHER one in California. Bruh, I can't-
- I am also someone who gets stressed out to the nines when it comes to financial insecurity and this book was not helping that but that is just personal preference.

Pop culture references that annoyed me
- I rolled my eyes when Samantha asked Xavier if he would love her if she was a worm. ENOUGH WITH THE WORM
- Yeah yeah the acotar references were annoying but everyone has said that at this point so this is nothing new
- "We do love a cranky king" No. Enough. (this was 6% into the book)

Another hit by Abby Jimenez! Only she can start a book with a scene about a kitten's butthole and end it with tearjerking, heart affirming events. She's just utterly brilliant. I will be honest, I did not know how she was going to wrap this one up. I love a book with no clear solutions, because it forces you to truly take the ride as a reader. Jimenez is a master at that. Read if you like actually LOLing while you read (not just saying you are), happiness and kittens.

Another Abby Jimenez book under my belt, and I’m starting to think her writing style may not be for me.

The pop culture references in this book were grating. The “Rhysand from ACOTAR” joke was too much the first mention, and certainly by the fourth. There were many other examples that made me cringe like “they understood the assignment” and “would you love me if I were a worm.” I realize people do talk like that in real life, but “realistic” dialogue does not equate to good writing.

As a person who works with homeless folks on a daily basis, I also didn’t appreciate the “my big tall man protects me from the scary homeless people in Santa Monica!” line. While I understand the sentiment, I think it could have been left out since the author did not take the time to approach the subject with nuance.

Despite my grievances I have to say: Abby Jimenez books have so much heart! I really did enjoy the characters and the main story.
Jimenez also has a knack for pacing— her books always keep me engaged and I fly through them. I know many readers don’t enjoy the “insta love” trope, but I found it cute and it honestly felt believable to me!

I think in a world with better editing and sensitivity readers, I may have loved this book. Here’s to hoping for more like Just for the Summer.

Abby Jimenez come to the front and answer for your crimes.

This book was one big bag of cringe balls. Literally getting smacked with cringe left and right. Her cat’s name is Pooter? Smack. All her stupid mustard ads? Smack. “Would you still like me if I was a worm?” Smack.

The plot was bonkers. Every single thing that could happen in a plot, happened in this book. Every single chapter, it’s another fucking thing. The romance itself was very mid. Not bad but not at all enough to make up for everything else. This was very centered around the FMC’s family problems.

I shall now tell you the thing that almost got me to DNF the book 80% of the way in: she accidentally fucking swallows her own airpod. Yes, a grown woman. No, not a fucking dog.

Also (spoiler???) the part where they have that whole parking lot interaction and then the video goes viral ahdjsjndkakxnsk i just can’t. Sorry.

Is this a 1.5? MAYBE! Just For The Summer, you will always be famous. Abby, I’ll definitely be hesitating before seeing you again.

Here I am giggling and kicking my feet again!
It's the second time the author makes me like the MMC.
Too often they do offensive things that I'm supposed to forgive and enrage me for the MFC.
Also it contains the only acceptable butthole joke lol

I don't think Abby Jimenez is capable of writing a bad book at this point. Her MMCs are walking green flags, her MFCs are always dealing with relatable life circumstances, and the relationships are always goals. I loved this book. Abby took such care in how she discussed dementia and the ways it impacts the people who are touched by it. Samantha's family was so real, so genuine. And Xavier surrounded himself with a found family that really cared about him and appreciated him. This isn't going to leave me... like, ever.

There was so much I loved about this book. And so much I didn’t. To me, it felt way too long. And maybe it was just the long distance relationship that I just felt was so back and forth for so long and constantly talking about how they should break up or how much they hate the long distance relationship. It just seemed repetitive and so long. And then the ending seemed a little too good to be true. Is it actually realistic how well everything came together after so long of the impossibility of being together in the same place? I did love the family aspect. And the coming together to take care of the mom. And Xavier really just stepped right up and took on so much so quickly. It was cute and sweet. But probably more for a die hard animal lover.

Minus one star for saying lakes don’t have riptides.. GOOGLE IS FREE ABBY AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP ON LAKE MICHIGAN YES THEY DO!! I loved Samantha’s family though. The sibling bonds were 10/10. But remember your riptide safety!!! swim parallel to shore so you don’t drown!!!! That’s all.

Say You’ll Remember Me is one of my most anticipated reads of 2025! I really enjoyed this one, but it wasn’t my favorite from Abby Jimenez. The romance felt too instalovey for me and like there was some emotional depth missing. I still ate this book up and flew through it! A great contemporary romance to pick up and get you out of a slump since it’s so fast paced! I liked Sam and Xavier, but wish we got a little bit more banter and pining from them before they were fully into one another. I love a good slow burn.

The best book I've read this year. Abby writes so beautifully. She is so whitty and creative. I love How much she researches, even the silly details. She is one of the best writers of this time.

Happy April aka a new Abby Jimenez book!!! Spoiler… I loved it 🥹💖

▫️Genre: Romance
▫️Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 (4.5/5)
▫️Pub day: 4/1/25
#gifted @readforeverpub

It’s so hard for me to read one of Jimenez’ novels and not instantly loved it. 🥰 Her comedic moments, authentic characters, and heavy themes get me every👏time👏 Say You’ll Remember Me was a hit!!! A very lovable and enchanting emo-romance that I flew through.

I enjoyed this one a lot bc I personally connected to two main plot points— a long distance relationship and caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease.

My husband and I did long distance when we were dating for five years. 😯 I don’t see long distance relationships in fiction often bc I think it’s hard to explain to someone how it feels!! Jimenez wrote about that DEEP sense of longing and sacrifice well. 🥺 So yes, long distance relationships can feel repetitive and grueling, which is how the book reads at times! Samantha and Xavier each made their OWN choices on what they were willing to do for the love they shared 💕

Speaking on another plot point— My grandpa helped care for my grandma, who passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. It is an incredibly terrible illness that takes SO much love, patience, and dedication. Samantha’s family was one of my favorite aspects of this story, so seeing how they came together to care for a family member with this disease was raw & beautiful.

Say You’ll Remember Me is the first novel in a new series by Abby Jimenez! YAY😍💖 This one did lean a little women’s fiction at times, which I loved. You really can’t go wrong with Abby’s books. She still remains my favorite romance author! 😌😘 Pick this one up if you: don’t mind insta love, are an animal lover (helloooo, hottie veterinarian 😏), prefer minimal spice, and can handle heavy themes. ❤️

I loovvvee Abby Jimenez's books especially this one making me laugh and sob my eyes out from the turn of a page. There are difficult heart wrenching topics throughout this book definitely recommend reading the trigger warnings before reading.

This book was so much fun to read and that's really saying something since it deals with A LOT of heavy subjects. Abby Jimenez is so friggin funny, I mean from the jump, literally pages in, she had me laughing out loud with the wit and banter she gives her characters. I feel like she successfully writes in a way that is so relevant and relatable in terms of popular phrases and colloquialisms without it being cheesy. And that is no easy feat, especially for a rom com. I loved that this book had no distractions and didn't use obvious late stage plot devices. The relationship is exactly what you're given fairly straight away and what happens in the rest of the book is just...life. I related a lot to this book as well. My partner and I have been long distance for multiple stages of our relationship because we're from different countries, so that side of Xavier and Samantha's story really hit home for me. I have experienced so much of what they do myself and it really endeared them to me. I've seen other reviewers have a hard time with the "falling in love at first date" aspect and all I can say is...when you've experienced that same certainty with someone firsthand it's not difficult to buy into. When ya know ya know. This story covers a lotttt of heavy topics: estrangement from parents, dementia, death, debt/financial struggles, domestic and animal abuse... but Jimenez handles it all really well and tells the story effectively. I was left with mouth agape multiple times at the twists. The comedic relief is so masterfully woven through every chapter as well, so even though it spends a lot of time on difficult subjects this book still felt light and easy to take in. I really, really enjoyed it. I can't wait to read more from Abby.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m just as surprised as you are that I’m rating an Abby Jimenez book this low.
Honestly, I hovered between 2.5 and 3 stars for a while. Abby is an auto-buy author for me, and several of her books are among my all-time favorites. That said… I’ve got thoughts. Let’s unpack.

The good:
• The FMC is a hilarious spitfire, and Abby’s signature wit and humor really shine through in many moments.
• Several of the side characters were absolute gems—fun, lovable, and surprisingly impactful. They ended up being a highlight of the whole story for me.
• I highlighted quite a few quotes about love, life, and everything in between that truly resonated. Some of them felt incredibly special and beautifully written.

The not-so-good:
• I didn’t need to be told five separate times that the MMC looks like Rhysand from ACOTAR. I usually enjoy a fun pop culture or bookish reference—but five? Just describe him.
• Insta-love isn’t my favorite trope, and unfortunately, it didn’t work here. The connection between Xavier and Samantha came off more like an unhealthy emotional attachment than romantic chemistry. Therapy might’ve helped more than romance.
• The cat is named Pooter. That’s all I’ll say about that.
• This felt way too influenced by TikTok—like it was born from viral sound bites (looking at you, “Would you still love me if I were a worm?”).
• As someone who did long-distance for over a year, this portrayal didn’t feel grounded in reality.
• It almost felt like the characters were being punished by the plot. Just when things were going well—boom, another traumatic twist. Multiple times.
• I really struggled with how the FMC’s mother was portrayed. The way dementia was used as a character flaw or source of conflict felt uncomfortable and unkind. And the storyline involving the dad? That didn’t sit right either—especially for readers who’ve experienced something similar.

I do have more thoughts, but I’ll leave it there for now to keep things spoiler-free. I still adore Abby and will absolutely read whatever she writes next—but this one just didn’t land for me. Fingers crossed for the next one being a return to form!

This made me ugly cry. I absolutely loved this story, like everything else that Abby comes out with. I laughed. I cried. I cried some more.

First and foremost, a big thank you to the publishers for the early arc of this gem of a book. I love abby as a person, whom I follow on tik Tok. Her wit and humor are contagious on tik Tok and it absolutely translates to her books! I enjoyed her setting and the story plot itself. She did a great job setting the scene and getting the characters fleshed out. I would recommend this author to all my reading friends. four stars for sure!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and I absolutely devoured this book. I managed to read it in just two sittings.

This book left me with so much to say, yet somehow, I'm still struggling to find the right words. The emotional rollercoaster I went through while reading this?? WAS UNREAL !!!

Xavier is the definition of grumpy with gold heart. He’s a broody and intimidating vet… but this man cuddles puppies and kittens. He gives such safe, soft energy, like you could literally switch your brain off, and he’d take care of everything. HELLO?? Husband material 🤭

Samantha is a sunshine soul, bold, independent, and sarcastic. The way she just is… I adored her from the start. Her family journey broke my heart and healed it at the same time. I admired how she carried so much strength.

Just after one amazing date… sparks were already flying between Xavier and Samantha. And listen, I’m not the biggest fan of insta-love, but this?? This was an exception 😅. Their chemistry was natural, effortless, and honestly so swoony. The escape room scene? MY FAV. But when she moves across the country to look after her family, it’s clear what they had wasn’t just a one-time thing, and neither of them is ready to let it go.

This book deals with some really heavy stuff, and honestly… I can’t even imagine going through what Samantha had to face. But then there’s Xavier, showing up for her in every way. Through the good, the bad, the ugly, and all the messy moments. My heart was already hanging on by a thread, and then the last 40% of the book completely shattered me and pieced it back together.

I love how Abby blends heavy themes with soft, heartwarming moments. She writes real-life struggles with such honesty and care, making the characters and everything they go through feel so relatable.

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
Grumpy x Sunshine
Long Distance
Found Family
Opposite Attracts

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.