5/5 stars

Trigger Warnings: Graphic: Dementia, Animal cruelty, Grief
Moderate: Death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse

This book is an emotional rollercoaster! I laughed out loud, cried and it left me wanting to hug this book. Say You'll Remember Me is definitely heavier than her other books but I thinks she writes it with such grace, humor and with authentic characters. Xavier and Samantha are such a sweet couple and I would love a scene from 5 years down the road to see what they are up to.

I underlined so many sections in this book! So many quotes that make me excited to reread this book and annotate it. To say this book will leave me with a book hangover is an understatement. I don't know what I can possibly read next that will compare.

I loved Xavier's friend group, Samantha's family and Xavier's co-workers. The side characters, setting and all the animals made this book even better.

Even though I rated this book 5 stars, there are a few things that were hard for me to get over. The part where they don't communicate who is traveling and miss each other and sometimes they were 'woe is me' too much and it was hard to read. BUT...I still loved this book as a whole and will definitely be rereading it!!

It pains me to rate this book three stars. Abby Jimenez is one of my all-time favorite authors, but this book did not hit the mark for me.

Don't get me wrong, there were many things that I liked about this book - I loved the relatability of our main characters Xavier and Samantha. Certain scenes were so relatable and reminded me of my relationship with my boyfriend, specifically the arcade and escape room scenes. Abby has such a talent of writing realistic characters, and this was no exception. I also love how bingeable her books are. Even though this book wasn't my favorite of hers, it was so easy to digest that I read it within 24 hours.

However, there were many things that did not work for me. The main aspect that turned me off from this book was the fact that Xavier and Samantha pitied themselves and their situation SO much. Our two main characters are in a long distance relationship due to Xavier's job and Samantha's home/family life. Their inner dialogue about their situation was hard to read at times because it felt so "woe is me".

The pacing felt off because the long distance relationship. It seemed like I was in a repetitive loop of reading one chapter when they travel to see the other, another chapter when they are apart and missing each other, and then the next chapter would begin with "three months later..." when they traveled to see each other again. There were several times in which the chapters started with "(Long duration) later" that the timeline felt very jumpy and fast-forwarded.

The last thing that didn't sit right with me was certain terminology that was used. There were two separate occasions in which Samantha screamed, "STAP!" instead of "stop". This may seem nitpicky, but it just seemed too immature for an adult-aged character. There were also several mentions of Tiktok that it almost felt forced. I usually love the comedic scenes that Abby creates, but in this case they made me cringe. Like when Samantha went to take a pill and fully swallowed and digested her Airpod by accident instead? And didn't realize it until the next morning? So out of left field.

Maybe I am being a harsh critic because I have adored all of Abby's other books (Just for the Summer was my top read of 2024!), but I was left wanting more with this one.

(SPOILER): I was not satisfied by the ending ... Xavier and Samantha went through all of that misery, turmoil, and back and forth only for Xavier to change his mind about wanting to keep his job? I was hoping for a cleaner resolution than that.

I love that I can continue to count on Abby Jimenez for a great story. She has this ability to write books that suck you in immediately and don’t let you go until the last page. Her books are instant slump-busters for me! This most recent novel is no different. Abby writes such sweet and beautiful relationships, but also weaves in the heartbreak of reality. Xavier and Samantha’s story had me kicking my feet and grinning from the adorable chemistry the two had. Both characters have such complex family dynamics and their ability to navigate them together was so heartwarming. My husband is an “airport dad”, and I can attest to how nice it is to have someone you can shut your brain off around! The heartwarming moments in this book made me tear up more than once, proving that I can still feel things! Yay!

With Samantha’s job being internet based, there are a lot of social media references. These instances, and the references to TikTok trends or phrases, did take me out of the story a little. I can’t speculate if these references will become outdated quickly, or if the cringe factor will increase as the years go by. So just read it now and enjoy!

I’ll read anything Abby’s name is on. And this one did not disappoint. In fact, it may be my favourite yet (except I LOVE Yours Truly too much soooo it’s a toss up). I laughed, I cried, I will shout about this one to whoever will listen for the rest of forever. Perfect for my New Romantics Book Club!

In true Abby Jimenez fashion, her upcoming release is a sweet romance filled with humor and heart and plenty of cute dogs. This book centers around our two MCs, Samantha and Xavier, who have a not so meet-cute when Samantha takes her cat into Xavier’s vet clinic. Eventually they reconnect, sparks fly after a magical first date, but then due to family circumstances, Samantha has to move back to California while Xavier is stuck in Minnesota running his clinic.

Now, there were things I really enjoyed about this and things that also didn’t quite work for me. For starters, I usually adore Abby’s books because of the romance, but for some reason the romance wasn’t my favorite part. I liked our characters enough individually, however I think I struggled to really see and understand their connection. It all transpired so quickly and then suddenly they’re flying half way across the country for visits and establish a long distance relationship. Perhaps I’m just a grouch, but I think I just didn’t buy into their love enough to justify the actions.

The part that stood out to me though was the plot surrounding home caregiving of a loved one and the ripple affects it can have. Samantha’s mother is suffering from late stage dementia I appreciated the author’s depiction of the cruel disease even though it’s super heartbreaking. I liked seeing how each family member grappled with the situation in their own way, but also seeing how much of a burden and exhausting it can be. It showed how no family may be perfect, but the importance of being a strong unit. I personally felt like the most emotional and poignant moments were when it came to Samantha’s mother and family.

I also appreciated Xavier’s character journey and discussing how and why he got into being a vet and the reasons he has and continues to fight so hard to prove himself. There were also some lovely supporting characters too!

While this may not have been my favorite Abby Jimenez, I still enjoyed it and definitely think that fans of her work will also still like it when it releases!

Leave it to Abby Jimenez to have me laughing so hard at one moment, only to be crying a few pages later. I think this is my favorite of Abby’s books yet.

“Say You’ll Remember Me” was truly so beautiful, and heartbreaking, and hilariously filled with banter that brought these characters to life. The way the story explored the different forms of love we experience in our lives, from pets to family and found family, to soulmate romance set this apart from anything else I’ve read in a while. There was so much depth in creating the moments we want to remember while we still can, and finding what is truly important. This story broke my heart, and then stitched it back together again. I think at the end my main takeaway was that sometimes humans are horrible creatures to each other - but that we can’t forget all of the beautiful humans that refuse to allow that to stop them from loving each other imperfectly, but loudly in spite of it all.

<i>Thank you so much to the publisher for kindly sharing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. </i>

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Summary: A chance encounter between fiery Samantha and charming veterinarian Xavier sparks an unforgettable connection, but life’s challenges force them to decide whether one perfect night can lead to a lasting love worth fighting for.

My Review: Abby Jimenez delivers yet another unforgettable romance with Say You'll Remember Me, blending real-world challenges with a once-in-a-lifetime love story. As always, her storytelling is full of depth and heart, handling complex situations with remarkable care and sensitivity. This book emotionally wrecked me—in the best possible way—leaving a lasting impact. Jimenez continues to prove why she’s one of my auto-buy authors, and this captivating story is sure to remain a favorite of mine for 2025.

Genres/Themes: Fiction / Romance - Contemporary / Romance - Romantic Comedy / Women

Say You'll Remember Me is scheduled for publication on April 1, 2025, by Forever (Grand Central Publishing).

Abby Jimenez is an auto read author for me. I was so happy to get an advanced copy. This one was not light hearted at all. It was a lot heavier than her last 3-4 books. The story was really well written and I’m sure it was true to life. It was just heavier than I was in the mood for.

Jimenez lists the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. I would definitely recommend reading them before starting the book.

Content considerations: moderate strong language with a handful of f-bombs, 1 brief open door scene, dementia, loss of grandparent on page, abusive parents, animal abuse, animals in distress.

Thank you Forever Publishing & NetGalley for this advanced copy of Say You’ll Remember Me. I enjoyed this a lot- I thought the characters had a great connection and although i did find myself rooting for them, i do feel like their story lacked depth. They each had strong individual characteristics (really loved Xavier!) but their relationship didn’t seem to grow much- it was more of an instalove kinda situation, and it felt like we didn’t really get to know them because of this. I do love, however, how well Samantha and Xavier communicated. Since so much of their relationship was over the phone, we did get to see how well they treated each other. Xavier really was just the sweetest MMC (& a vet?? the cutest). All in all, i enjoyed it & gobbled up the story like I do all of Abby’s books, even though I did feel like it was lacking some character development. This one still gets 4⭐️ from me.

Very sweet and emotional amazing book by Abby as always!! Laugh, cried, and marveled at the excellent writing.

There is nothing like a grumpy-sunshine relationship. While I wish that I could by the sunshine to someone's grumpy, I've come to terms that I will always be the grumpy one. But reading books like this helps me dream!

I feel like post the original Friend Zone trilogy, Jimenez has just stepped up to a new level. While I think Just for the Summer will always be my fave of hers, this one was not anything to scoff at. It's not even out yet, but I'm eagerly awaiting her next novel!

I knew I was going to love a book named after a Taylor Swift lyric and written by Abby Jimenez, but this exceeded all of my expectations. I loved how the romance felt like a subplot of the story, with the focus being on the each of the main characters’ struggles with their family. I also loved how there was no third act breakup after the Samantha and Xavier finally got together. This was probably my favorite Abby Jimenez book yet and I can’t wait for the next one.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

After loving Part of Your World and Just for the Summer, I found this one to be just okay.

Enjoyed the characters - they felt real and relatable like this author's characters usually do.
Ultimately, I was bored for most of it. Essentially it is just family trauma and a long distance relationship for 350+ pages.
The yearning definitely jumps off the page, but it got old fast.


Thank you to the publisher for my gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.

okay this was really bingable and had its classic abby jimenez charm. I really enjoyed these characters and the depth they had individually. I just had a lot of issues with it feeling too instant love type romance. I enjoyed the plot but the romance was really lacking for me. I found it really hard to connect to their love. I also couldn’t stand him being compared to rhysand multiple times.

Amazing. For sure my new fave Abby book. I related so much to both characters and just loved the animal components inside. I cried (like all Abby books) there were so many moments where I was like omg omg, the romance was incredible and Mr Hank was such a great edition. I’ll forever think of Jake from State Farm. I seriously loved this book, also as someone in Marketing it made me think of some oddly progressive campaign ideas lol.

This was so beautiful and I hope it’s the beginning of a series :) maybe Hanks story or Jenevas? A must read.

Thank you NetGalley and ReadForeverPub for the advanced ebook. I will be buying my own copy for my collection when it releases!!

F I V E 💎 S T A R S
Thank you, Forever Books, for the gifted copy of Say You’ll Remember Me {partner}

Genre: Romance
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 4.1.2025
Pages: 416
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

“..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.”

Wow, Abby, was it really necessary to make me cry that much? I swear, I was sobbing through the last 50 pages, but in the best way possible. This book was something truly special.

The characters, their dynamics, and everything they went through to be together—there was just so much depth and heart.

Xavier Rush might just be my new favorite book boyfriend. He’s the ultimate cinnamon roll MMC: a sweet, caring vet who fell first, and had so much respect and love for Samantha and her family. Samantha was just as incredible—strong-willed, intelligent, compassionate, and trying her best to balance being a good daughter while navigating her own emotions and challenges.

I’ve read that this is Abby’s most emotional book to date, and I completely agree. There’s a lot of trauma woven throughout, but Abby handled it with such care and sensitivity. I do want to note a few triggers for anyone considering reading it: Alzheimer’s is a major theme in the story, and there are instances of parental neglect, child abuse, and animal abuse leading to death (which, though difficult, is a key part of the narrative). If anyone has concerns, I’m happy to point out where these moments occur.


Read if you enjoy:
❤️ Family dynamics
👏🏼 No third act break-up
🥰 Meet cute
✈️ Long distance relationship
🥹 All the emotions

I genuinely can’t wait for all of you to read Say You’ll Remember Me - it will be a favorite of mine for 2025 and for a long time to come.

I don’t want to say I was disappointed by this book because I definitely enjoyed it, it just didn’t quite live up to my hopes. I really enjoyed the romance but for most of the book it felt like a secondary plot point. We got a lot of Samantha and Xavier being apart and talking about wanting to be physically near each other and not a lot of them actually being together. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that this was the point, I just felt like a lot of relationship development and getting to know them as a couple was lost. It just felt very repetitive and drawn out yet very rushed at the end. I did enjoy the last third of the book a lot. I feel like that was where we got a significant amount of depth in the relationship and a lot more of the romance that the beginning of the book was lacking. I liked how things played out and how their struggles were portrayed. There were some incredibly emotional scenes which I really enjoyed and I felt helped me connect to the characters.
My main issue with this book was how weighed down it was by TikTok and meme references. I kept putting the book down and rolling my eyes because there were parts where every single page had some kind of meme reference. We’re talking “core memory” “not on my bingo card” and so many TikTok challenges. The problem is that memes lose popularity so fast that by the time they’re published in a book they’re distant memories. There were so many parts where I was like, yeah I guess I kind of remember that being a thing last year, and it makes the story feel immediately outdated. This is really just personal preference and if you like that, then you’ll probably have a lot of fun with this book. I just personally hate super specific social media references in books and it really takes me out of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC!!

Thank you so much to Netgally for giving me access to an Advanced Reader Copy of this book! It absolutely blew me out of the water!

Genuinely my first thought when writing this review is WOW… just WOW! This is one of the most incredible books I have read in a very long time!

Abby Jimenez has such a beautiful way with words and such a nice mixture of romance and literary fiction in all of her books. I have yet to pick up one of her books and not instantly fall in love with this and this book is not an exception to that rule.

The topics in this book were very difficult with death of a family member, loneliness, and Alzheimer’s being core topics and Jimenez was able to handle these all in a beautiful and tactful way that enhanced the story!

Many reader will also be happy to know this is not a miscommunication novel! These characters had some of the best communication among one another that I have ever read and it was incredibly refreshing!

The family dynamics in this book were also off the charts with incredibly intricate and realistic portrayal of family members with their strengths and flaws on full display.

I genuinely could not recommend this book enough! It was one of the more gorgeous and thought provoking novel I have read in a while along with also being incredibly funny!

I love Abby Jimenez’s writing and I love how in her romance books she dives deeper into serious topics. I loved the characters, this was an insta-love and usually I don’t like insta-love but I loved how Abby did it. The reason why I’m giving this 3 stars is because this didn’t hook me as much as her others. It felt so repetitive with the two characters going back and forth that I felt bored at times. It was the two characters being upset that they can’t see each other. I’m a bit disappointed but would still recommend.

I truly loved this book. As usual, Abby did an exceptional job navigating and storytelling through a delicate subject, such as dementia. She created between losing one’s memory and the main characters long distance relationship.

Such beautiful writing about appreciating love and sharing moments with others. Also, humor mixed in!

I also loved the older veterinarian hero in the end, and the way his role in Xavier’s life came full circle. Highly recommend this book!!

*A sincere thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing the advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.*