Not my favorite Abby Jimenez book but still a great time! The Sarah J. Maas references threw me off and it became repetitive at times. However, it was really cute and the ending wrapped up well. I especially loved all the animals, specifically the dogs. I would skip the “Epilogue”/“last chapter though.

Samantha is a social media maven, who ends up with a kitten and brings it to a veterinarian. Xavier is the vet, who’s hot and broody. The two make an impression on one another and end up having an epic, unforgettable date. But life, distance and things happening in Sam’s family make it difficult for them to be together like they’d hoped.

I’ve gotta say, I really loved the first half of this book. Samantha and Xavier’s love story is very cute, and they were easy to cheer for. I found the second half to a bit repetitive, with the two of them trying to make their relationship work despite the challenging circumstances. Xavier was a total babe and I loved all the animals coming through his clinic. Samantha’s family was delightful, but I would have liked to get to know them more. The playlists were very sweet.

Please be sure to read the content warnings, as this book deals with some tough themes including dementia, abuse and death.

I’ve wanted to read one of Abby Jimenez’s books for awhile and have a bunch on my TBR. I was grateful to receive this ARC from Forever and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Abby Jimenez punched me right in the gut with the this one.

One of the more emotional romantic comedies I’ve read in a while with characters that won’t be easy to forget. Samantha is charming and witty and her family gives you that warm fuzzy feeling. Xavier is strong and dependable and has overcome more in his life than most people will ever face. Their chemistry and banter from the beginning had me invested and I loved how Samantha described Xavier as being her safe space, something I think a lot of women can relate to in a world where we are constantly always on guard, when you find that stronghold you know they’re someone special.

The long distance circumstances between Samantha and Xavier were so horrible and yet realistic at the same time. It actually gutted me for Samantha to be longing to see Xavier so much that his habits would begin to annoy her; something I think when we see our loved ones often we take for granted so it really put life into perspective. I loved how AJ put romance into your every day moments; the joy and happiness in their relationship was in an inside joke (Come On Eileen) rather than in a lavish vacation - don’t get me wrong that’s nice too.

Samantha’s relationship with her family and their experience with her mom currently battling dementia was so raw and real and made me feel all of their anger, grief, and sadness through the pages. AJ described loving someone with dementia as mourning the loss of them while they are still alive and that couldn’t be more true.

This was as witty as it was emotional and a five star read for me from the plot to the character development, I wouldn’t change a single thing.

Abby is the queen of emotional romances! She is so good at writing books with swoon worthy romance and heartbreak all at once.
This story follows Samantha and Xavier as they navigate a long term relationship while also both dealing with hard emotional battles of their own. I loved how cute there love was, it was one of those books that just makes you giddy! I also loved the emotional roller coaster you are taken on! It really feels like you are following real people through life and seeing all the up's and downs of their journey. This one was truly such a great spring time read and I’m so excited for the release on April 1st! If you like…

🩷 Swoony love story’s
🌭 Mustard puns
🐶 Hot veterinarians / VILFs
🎶 Many references to Come on Eileen
🛸 UFO escape rooms
💔 Emotional roller coasters

Then you’ll love this book!

I want to start this whole thing with all the good— we love a vet, we love a hot guy, so we love a hot vet, literally no pets are harmed in this beautiful Minnesotan x SoCal love story. This was probably one of the most believable living situations out of Jimenez's couples, Xavier and Sam had work and family obligations, childhood traumas, and monetary constraints (no one could just throw money at their problems, refreshing!!). They fell fast and they did everything they could to make it work.

Of course there was fun, sweetness, and LOTS of Dexys Midnight Runners. It's not an Abby book unless it pulls at your heart strings!!

But its only fair to flag a few things to keep expectations REAL. First and foremost, I wanna have a good time when I pick up a book with a cartoon cover and this book was a GREAT time… but there were a few times I was taken right out of the story. MY biggest issue (that I know some people dont mind but I try to avoid) is the internet slang, booktok-y references, and overall niche-modern dialogue. I feel it cheapens the story and make me wince (honestly a big cringe) when I see words like "mid", "gave me the ick", and mentioning "ACOTAR" (YIKES). Tell me he's tall dark and handsome dont tell me he looks "like the lord of the night court" pls I beg!!

Overall had a great time, compliments to the chef, luv ya girl! Thank u Netgalley, Abby Jimenez, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing)!!!

Every time I read an Abby Jimenez book I’m reminded just how much I love her books. And let me tell you, Say You’ll Remember Me did not disappoint! I think this might be her best one yet! Absolutely fantastic!

Samantha is an absolutely hilarious social media manager for a mustard company (yes you read that right), and Xavier is an oh so handsome and charming animal-loving Veterinarian whose appearance is described as Rhys from ACOTAR. (Is there anything better?!)

The connection between Samantha and Xavier felt so genuine and deep. Like most of Abby’s books that have sweet and funny moments with themes of the main character(s) dealing with complex emotional situations or trauma alongside the romance, this one was similar but much more focused on working through the situation. Don’t get me wrong though, you will definitely get those laugh out loud moments and romance that will make you experience all the feels.

You definitely don’t want to miss reading this book. It’s a good one for sure!

When I think Abby Jimenez can't possibly get any better, she gives the proverbial "Hold my beer." This book follows Jimenez's usual authentic, real, wonderful characters Xaivier and Samantha. You route for both of them from the very beginning. I mean, like the very first sentence. It was hard to read this book at times, not because it was slow or bad or boring. NO! The exact opposite. Jimenez's style has a way of sucking you in, making you feel the hardships, love, joy, and pain her characters are feeling. Do recommend this book? A thousand times yes. Read this book. Read it. You won't be disappointed.

Another winner from auto-buy author Abby Jiminez! Prepare yourself for a really emotional experience, as each protagonist is dealing with truly difficult circumstances, one from childhood and the other current. Minnesota Vet Xavier meets PR whiz Samantha when she brings a stray kitten into his practice, nestled into the vee of her t-shirt. Sparks and snark fly when neither gives the expected response after a deformity is discovered on the tiny stray. Weeks later, they share an unforgettable date night and find they have amazing chemistry, the night before Samantha moves home to Southern California to help care for her deteriorating mother.

I don’t know how Abby Jiminez does it, but every time I open her books, I THINK I’m getting a rom-com, when what I actually experience is an honest story about relatable people dealing with really difficult situations, just with humor sprinkled throughout. This time, she’s written an un-rivaled book boyfriend in Xavier, the grumpy, gentle giant whose traumatic childhood has led him to be the consummate unasked needs-meeter. Samantha feels like a typical Jiminez heroine, a queen of snarky content, who loves her people fiercely even if they do drive her nuts. Xavier and Samantha refuse to let seemingly insurmountable obstacles end their story, which for this reader was un-put-down-able.

Content warnings: childhood abuse, advanced dementia, narcissism in a parent, alcoholism, cheating, death, animal abuse and cruelty **BUT no pets die in this book!

Every time I finish an Abby Jiminez book, I declare it’s my favorite, and it is, until the next one is published. All the heart eyes!

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.

I loved this book! The characters were well developed and I really felt like I knew them. I laughed out loud and also cried. The many relationship dynamics is what really drew me in. When I read Abby Jimenez books I always think they can't get any better, and then they do. 5 stars!

While the premise was nice, the writing was... not what I expected. I wanted more from the characters because I felt that what was on the front cover and the front flap was not what we were given.

Abby Jimenez is a must-read for me, one of my favorite rom-com authors, and Say You'll Remember Me did not disappoint. The chemistry is great, plus the characters have a depth of real-life struggle and growth.

Abby does it again! The way the romance is written alongside heavier topics always impresses me. The mental health dementia representation was written so realistically and arguably, I enjoyed that portion of the plot more than the romance. The effects on a family when dealing and being the primary caregiver for a person with dementia were very vulnerable and touching. I struggled a bit with the instalove because it's not a personal favorite trope, however I did like Xavier and Samantha overall.

Well, Xavier is my new favorite book boyfriend! 😍

I absolutely love Abby Jimenez and the way she’s ably to touch on some heavier topics but be perfectly balanced with humor and romance.

Xavier and Samantha’s connection is instant and swoon worthy, complete with mini golf, a viral video, and Come On Eileen! Their connection had me hooked from the start! I was rooting for them every step of the way.
While some parts were heart breaking, I absolutely devoured and really enjoyed this story!

Be sure to check the trigger warnings, as some parts are heavy. Overall, it’s Abby Jimenez which makes it’s a recommend from me!

Another absolutely fantastic book written by Abby Jimenez. There were oh so many good quotes in this book. I'm not much for highlighting but with the amount of passages and lines that spoke to me, I was highlighting like I never have before. One line in particular I needed to hear at that moment in time.

Never have I read more events that kept two people apart. Samantha and Xavier found love like no other, but just at the wrong time. Both living in impossible situations that they could not get out of, 2,000 miles away from eachother, the trials and testing of their relationship was just through the roof. What a journey and ride.

Again, Abby seems to always hit right to the heart, and present tough real life situations that you probably don't want to read in a romance book. But she makes it worth it. I always like to see how titles play into the books, and this one especially has a couple meanings, one I didn't catch on to until close to the end. I also did love the mention of Nadia Cakes she threw in there! I definitely didn't have a dry eye at the end.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Forever for an eARC of this amazing book!

Like all her other books, I’m blown away by Abby’s ability to expertly weave a story so fully immersive, emotional and full of real life. Xavier and Samantha’s connection and love is so sudden, so true and so perfect yet the road to happily ever after is riddled with obstacle after obstacle. After each twist and turn of life, you hope and pray this is the last hard thing they have to do or overcome and each time it is not is why you cheer even hard for them the next time around.

Perfect if you love:
💗Real Life Love Stories
🤍Instant chemistry
💗Long Distance
🤍Vet MMC
💗Caretaker FMC
🤍Found Family Vibes and a Strong Family Unit

Wow wow wow nobody writes romance like Abby Jimenez. This story made equally laugh and cry. It was clear from the moment we met Xavier and Samantha that they were meant for each other. I had no clue how their story would end, but it was so satisfying when we got there. Highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.

↠ 4 stars ⭐️

I scrumpt when I was approved for this ARC! I adore everything this woman writes and would seriously read her grocery list and love every second of it.

Abby has such a remarkable talent of weaving deep, complex emotions into her stories, effortlessly balancing humor, romance, and raw emotion, and Say You’ll Remember Me was no exception.

As always with Abby’s writing, I was hooked from the very first page. But this was definitely different than her other romcoms. While still sweet and laugh-out-loud funny, there was significantly more focus on emotionally complex and heavy themes like caring for a family member slipping away from early-onset dementia, a history of childhood abuse, and the struggles of navigating a long-distance relationship. The primary focus wasn’t so much on the romance, but rather on commitment in a relationship, family dynamics, and creating and cherishing memories with the people you love.

Even though Xavier and Samantha’s romance was a very instalove, I think it worked well here given the storyline, and their love felt so natural. I especially adored Xavier as a character—a hot, grumpy-yet-soft, and thoughtful veterinarian? *grabby hands* And he is the definition of “if he wanted to, he would.” Samantha was witty and hilarious, but I definitely felt more connected to Xavier as a character.

There’s a few things holding me back from rating this 5 stars. I wish we got more of Xavier and Samantha physically together. While I loved them, I think I was hoping for more romance when I picked this up. Also, there was a lot of internet slang, which I could’ve done without. And the ending.. I think the story ended too abruptly and I was left wanting a little more. But overall, I still really loved and enjoyed this one! Definitely check the trigger warnings and go into this knowing the usual swoony romance takes a bit of a backseat in this story.

Family obligations. Business obligations. Pride. Finances. Two thousand miles. Xavier and Samantha is a love story that spans lifetimes, but sadly life is in their way.

Abby Jimenez created a refreshing formula for the telling of this rom-com.
I didn’t have to wait until the second half of the book to witness their relationship.
I didn’t have to read about break ups, misunderstandings and miscommunication.
This felt like an honest love story with hardship and heartaches where love wins.

The characters are down to earth. Samantha is hilarious and Dr. Xavier Rush, oh Xavier … When your introduction to the main male character is him saving a dog, you know you’re going to love him, and I did. Then there’s Hank. My heart melts for Hank. We didn’t get enough of him but I don’t know that one ever could.

I laughed often; I cried several times; I can’t wait to read it again and I highly recommend this go to the top of your TBR pile.

#VILF

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars

Abby Jiminez is THAT girl! This book had me captured from the start.

A Rhys-like veterinarian and a social media girl for mustard meet at his office when she rescues a cat with no butthole... yep, you read that right! Leave it to Abby Jiminez to blend a story with deeply emotional themes like caring for a parent with dementia, and childhood trauma seamlessly with much needed comic relief. I was rooting for these two so hard! While there are some hard to read bits for animal lovers, it speaks to the character of Xavier and why he is the way he is (in the best way).

My only strife was wanting Samantha to be a stronger FMC at times. I'm not meaning in the emotional strength aspect, navigating her situation is incredibly draining and hard. She just seemed like the damsel in distress needing repeated saving from her boyfriend when it came to caring for her mom with dementia. This didn't track for me given Xavier has zero experience or knowledge with memory care from what we know, and given her family has been full time care givers for her mother for years. I think Samantha and her family deserves more credit for the education that goes in to FT care providing than Xavier being the one to repeatedly save the day. That being said this did a really fantastic job at exemplifying the emotional difficulties in watching someone you love succumb to dementia. It's not pretty. It's not easy. It's not cheap (especially in America I can imagine). And I commend Abby for tackling such an important and raw topic!

This is the perfect romance read as we head into spring and summer to give you a good chuckle and pull at your heart strings!

Jimenez has done it again, written a romance that renews our belief in the goodness of humanity in spite of toxic parents, misogynistic exes, and more. The love story between soulmates Samantha and Xavier is one of the most beautiful she’s ever written. When you know, you know, and both of them fell fast and hard, even with Sam moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles the morning after the first best date of their lives. Long distance relationships are hard enough for couples who have a history, but what do you do when you’re just getting started and it’s too good to give up?

There is so much I enjoyed and appreciated about this book. The depiction of Sam’s mother’s early-onset dementia is sensitive and compassionate, portraying how a caring family is willing to make huge sacrifices to fulfill their loved one’s wishes and treat her with dignity. Xavier’s hard-earned success as a veterinarian, in spite of his abusive, narcissistic parents, is a testament to his strength of character and inherent goodness as is his need to take care of the people he loves and the animals he’s sworn to protect and heal to the best of his ability. Samantha’s wit, as evidenced by her sassy and snarky social media posts for the mustard company she works for, and her dedication to her family draw grumpy Xavier out of his shell, making him happier than he’s ever been, especially when her family falls for him, too. There are some LOL moments, especially the dead mouse and swallowing the earbud, that bring levity to some pretty heavy subject matter. Finally, the relationship Sam has with her siblings and parents is a clear example of how, despite their different personalities and irritation towards each other, they can work as a team to take care of their mother.

Fans of ACOTAR will appreciate how Xavier resembles Rhysand (had to look it up since I’m not a romantasy fan, but wowza!) and anyone who craves delicious, slightly steamy romances without the miscommunication and third act breakups that are far too prevalent in the genre will want to read this gorgeous love story. Very highly recommended.