ok ok the stakes felt too angsty but for abby jimenez books they always do, and i’ll give it a pass for the ♥ moments

✔︎ grumpy sunshine
✔︎ ANIMALS
✔︎ good playlist at the end
✔︎ i’m never let down by jimenez’s willingness to go there: in this case, memory care/dementia and fucked up family dynamics and she always does due diligence
✘ lowkey i needed more romance
✘ a lot of the physical descriptors at the beginning are aided with ACOTAR knowledge. help a feyre-hater out please and use other descriptors :(

many thanks to forever (grand central publishing) and netgalley for the advance reader copy.

Thank you to Netgalley for the book in exchange for an honest review.
This book. THIS BOOK. Gobbled it up in less than 24hrs. Abby Jimenez knocked it out of the park with this title!. The entire story hinges on an incredible connection between the two love interests, and their struggle to be together when they live acrid the country from each other. The chemistry was amazing and the conflict and struggle was completely believable (a rarity in a romance novel!). I genuinely felt for Xavier and Samantha. A moving, emotional, novel. Excited for it to be released so I can recommend it.

Say You'll Remember Me made me laugh, made me cry and made me want to restart it the second I finished it. Hands down my favorite book I read in 2024.

Samantha decides to move home to California to take care of her mom - but meets Xavier the night before she's supposed to leave. Their instant connection & unique first date makes their forced separation unbearable and they are pushed to their limits to make their long distance relationship work.

My second Abby Jimenez read didn’t disappoint. Sometimes you need a good cry and the promise of a happy ending. The only thing negative I have to say is that I was beyond infuriated that nobody suggested some resolutions to them sooner. This had the cozy cosmic hero that every Hallmark movie has to help bring these two crazy kids together, and for that I am thankful.

In conclusion, Say You’ll Remember Me is a beautifully crafted romance with a blend of humor, heart, and personal growth. Abby Jimenez delivers another compelling story that explores the transformative power of love and the importance of never giving up on second chances. It’s a must-read for fans of heartfelt contemporary romance who appreciate stories about redemption and finding love in unexpected places.

Hear me out. I am an Abby stan until the day my meat sack of a body hits the dirt hole for my eternal slumber. I love her. I love her writing, I love her knack for building complex characters that are easy to connect to because they feel like real people with real problems that any of us can go through. She is one of my fav authors.

There were just some things about this book that did not really hit for me and I’m so bummed about it.

This book is like 30% romance, 50% heartbreaking devastation and 20% funny, he he ha ha moments. I ain’t gonna lie though, after the next sad event occurred after the last already really sad event, it just felt a little exhausting. Like these characters were GOING THROUGH IT and it just felt like more of a trauma bond between the MCs vs an actual romance developing at some point (imo). It’s absolutely not all sadness, there are some moments of lightheartedness and joy. I love the concept of creating and holding on to memories, having somebody to watch your life and carry on the memories for you. I thought it was so sweet and really puts into perspective the value of life and how we live it.

Abby really knows how to bring in real world situations (dementia, death in family, anxiety, abuse, family drama, etc) and make you feel like you’re going through the emotions with the characters and I love that in all of her other books. It makes it feel more human. This just felt like too much at some times, these characters rarely caught a break. I was so happy that Samantha and her family were able to set aside their grievances at the end.

I loved Xavier. This man was bending over backwards, literally breaking down his body, working 80 hour weeks, 7 days a week to make this relationship happen between him and Samantha. I feel like that same level of sacrifice/effort was not reciprocated and it made me feel frustrated with Samantha at times. I feel like the burden and effort of a long distance relationship is something both partners should shoulder and it mostly just all fell on Xavier.

My biggest, main reason for not vibing with this book is the sheer amount of internet jargon that is embedded in the text. I really am not picky, I am not one to care about current pop culture references, social media platform mentions and internet jargon but it was SO over the top. Almost every social interaction in this book contained some sort of jargon, like they were literally speaking like what I would read in a Tik Tok comment section. It feels kind of lazy, in my opinion and it doesn’t need to be included so much to build a connection with your readers of certain generations.

At the end of the day, I love me some Abby and I am so grateful that I was able to receive an ARC from NetGalley of this book regardless of my opinion of it!!

Abby Jimenez is one of my favorite authors. For me, the romances she writes have everything. Fun, funny, sad, reflection, romantic…. Everything.
When I read part of your world I was in a very bad reading slump, like months without reading and that book Reminded me why I love to read. Ever since I read every single book that the author has published, even the novelas. There is one exception is Just for the summer. When it got the news that is have the arc copy of this book I couldn’t believe it. And I just have the feeling that this book is going to be magic. And luckily, I wasn’t wrong. All the feeling I talked about earlier, this book have it. And the characters.. amazing. I love so much the star of this book. The presence of animals in this one hits different. And the way it affords the health problem of Samanthas mother is amazing. It's such a realistic reflection. I can not say anything more without spoilers, but do you a favor and read it. The easiest 5 stars of my life.

This is my first ever Abby Jimenez novel, and I will certainly be sticking around for more.

She does an incredible job at balancing a beautiful romance, with some content that cuts to your core. The story was truly moving, and I found myself rooting for both MCs. Bonus points if you're an animal lover!

"Say You'll Remember Me" is a delightful and entertaining read that will stay with you long after you finish reading. Jimenez's masterful storytelling and the charming characters make this a must-read for fans of the genre.

I for one have been getting a little tired of the standard romance plot arc and Say You’ll Remember Me perfectly subverts the established structure! Abby Jimenez strikes again.

This was my first Abby Jiminez book, and now I'm about to dig through all of my packed books so I can find my others by her. This book was so sweet and gentle and also completely ripped my heart out. The things poor Sam went through in such a short amount of time...heartbreaking. Xavier was... everything. He is literally the perfect man. He's what every tired woman wants. Safety, dependability, and caring. 'Give up everything for you' kind of love. Thank you SO MUCH @netgalley for this eARC, I'm so thankful for netgalley!

I’ll start by saying I am a fan of this author’s other work and have rated all her other books above 4⭐️.

I typically find her books to have in-depth characters, well-researched & meaningful inclusion of emotional & physical traumas, great banter, and wonderful nonromantic relationships.

This lacked so many of the aspects I’ve come to love and enjoy in the author’s other work and overall was a huge letdown.

This book is for fans of insta-love, those who don’t mind an excessive amount of pop culture references and cheesy humor, and who like their happily ever afters to be grand gesture + unbelievable luck created perfection.

What I did enjoy…
● There are a handful of funny moments and while I’m not in love with the excessive dad jokes I did giggle some.
● Grandma - she is the best character imo
● The viral video and specifically the families reaction to it.
● Family dynamics and representation of early onset dementia although I will say I think the family was super irresponsible caring for the mother at the beginning of the book
● I think the book’s prose improved vastly in the last 30%


Things I did not enjoy
● Insta-love to the max
While I think it is possible for strong feelings to develop quickly in the way they did in this book, we don’t actually see much of the two MCs together or their feelings or relationship developing. It makes it very difficult to relate to or understand the relationship.
● This book is severely lacking in tension/angst/chemistry between the two characters
Aside from being told how they feel about each other we are not SHOWN any of these feelings.
● On that subject there was an exorbitant amount of TELLING and a dismal amount of SHOWING.
I knew how the MCs felt bc the author told us its how they felt, not because she showed us these feelings
● The prose in this book is the author’s choppiest yet
Look, the author isn’t know for their eloquent and lyrical writing and that is OK, I like simple basic writing most of the time. But this book? it was choppy. so choppy. the choppiest. Sentences felt stunted. the sheer number of periods. it was outrageous. too much. I couldn’t handle it.
● The two POVs were nearly indistinguishable.
I can’t count the number of times I had to double check which POV I was currently in so that I could understand who was feeling what.
the only difference between the two POVs was the name at the beginning of the chapter and the change from he/she said
● These MCs felt flat
see above, it was hard to distinguish between the two voices and that is largely because these characters had nothing but their physical appearance and past/current trauma to tell them apart.
● Personally, I found the FMC insufferable
She was rude to her family, especially her brother. Rude to the MC - excuse me but I think going on a date with someone when (view spoiler)
● Speaking of the MC’s - I found it hard to believe they were in their late 20s and acting this way
also both of them desperately needed to be in therapy and I am so surprise that they weren’t…
● Least favorite abby book boyfriend to date
● I am ALL for trauma in my books, I joke that I prefer my romances with a side of trauma - I think (usually) it adds emotional depth and complexity to the characters, it makes them feel real and relatable. BUT….
I did not think the onslaught at the end was needed, nor do I think it added to the overall story
● Maybe its just me but that ending was just ridiculous
I like a cheesy perfect happy ending as much as the next person but this required a strong dose of delulu to believe.
(view spoiler)

Now what I call “how to alienate a group of readers while doing a really poor job at describing the physical appearance of your MMC 101”
AKA the use of ACOTAR references to describe the physical appearance of the MC
● first, I dislike very specific pop culture references within books to begin with. I think it dates a book, and also it assumes that the reader understands them. As someone that does not keep up with trends, celebrities, or pop culture this alienates me as a reader and forces me out of the story.
● secondly, even if you do not agree that SJM and ACOTAR are problematic there is a whole massive group of people that do. By including references like this in a book you are essentially telling a whole group of people their feelings and opinions are invalid. - On the other hand not including these references offends/hurts no one.

On the subject of insensitivity…
● I think the FMC using the phrase “fucked off back to his motherland” in reference to Omar is questionable at best and straight up racist at worst.
● While I’m at it I strongly dislike that the abusive and alcoholic character in the book’s career is… surprise surprise, military - this isn’t the first time I’ve been uncomfortable with Abby Jimenez’s portrayal of individuals in the military, something tells me it won’t be the last.

I am aware that occasionally changes are made from advance reader copy to final print (we all make mistakes). Rest assured I am eager to remove these critiques should the publisher and author make changes to the final copy.

Overall this certainly wasn’t a BAD book, but it was a complete let down when compared to this author’s other books. Maybe it’s not fair to rate it compared to her other books, but it’s my goodreads so I’ll do what I want. 😝


Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was a slow one to get into, but by the end I was crying. A typical Abby book that does follow a formula, but in the best way.

this book was so funny I really enjoyed that part. I loved the family dynamics and how they cared for one another. The romance was beautiful. I did feel like the couple was in an impossible situation and it was really hard for me to accept the solution that was provided. I do realize that the theme of doing anything for the person you loved was important here but it just seemed like a lot. I also feel like the FMC becoming the mom’s main caregiver was a lot. I also hated what the dad was doing. I still really loved the characters and wish I loved the ending more,

I love Abby Jimenez. If you like a nice romance with great characters and a good plotline, you can't go wrong with this book! I really did enjoy it. Her character development is second to none. So sweet and so romantic!

Such a sweet love story of a long distance relationship. The two meet in a quickly their first date turns into a long date from the early evening into the early morning. Their first date had such an impact on him that when he finds out that she is moving 2,000 miles away, he will find any excuse to see her. They eventually decide to try long distance, but of course it is difficult and there are so many obstacles that get in their way. But, in the end they have a happily ever after. Such a sweet book and love conquers all.

Just wow! Abby Jimenez has become my go-to author! She never, ever disappoints! I read this book in five hours because I could not put it down! Jimenez does an incredible job connecting you to characters and pulling at your heartstrings. I will highly recommend this book!

Another heartfelt book from Abby Jimenez. I'm always nervous to read a book from an author I love, like what if this one isn't as good? But this book immediately sucked me in and I read over half of it in one sitting. The writing is effortless to read and made me DNF another book I've been trying so hard to slog through. THIS is how reading for fun should be. So so enjoyable.

When Samantha adopts a kitten, she takes it to the vet to get it looked at. She's surprised when he's one of the hottest men she's ever seen. But he's a total asshole and she lets him know it when he tells her the kitten has a birth defect that she won't survive without a 15-20k surgery and she needs to put her down. Samantha refuses and insists she can raise the money on GoFundMe.

Xavier loves his job as a vet but isn't a fan of people. He's not great at small talk and has a bit of a RBF, but he's a softie at heart. He has a complicated past with unsupportive and abusive parents and his circle of friends is small but like family now. It's a bit of a grumpy/sunshine vibe but more misunderstood male.

When Samantha brings her cat back to the clinic for a checkup, Xavier admits he was wrong thinking she couldn't raise the money for the surgery and is happy to see her back. The chemistry between them is off the charts and he asks her out.

My synopsis doesn't do it justice, just read it. You're going to love it.

Trigger warning: dementia, memory loss

Thank you to netgalley for a copy to enjoy.

I've really enjoyed the rest of Jimenez's books, but this one was different and ultimately not for me. Despite the trigger warnings provided, I was not prepared for the level of tragedy and trauma. In my opinion, it was overkill. The happy ending didn't make up for how horribly the main characters suffered. I will continue to read Jimenez works, this one just wasn't for me.

Abby Jimenez is an auto-read author for me. I have such an appreciation for the careful way she weaves romance stories, and this one was superbly done. The character growth is steady and believable, the conflicts are present but not overwhelming, and the plot is conflated just enough to create tension. There's hopefulness even in the sorrow. I can't imagine anyone not rooting for Samantha and Xavier. I sobbed no less than 5 times, but as Harry Styles once said, I was "crying... in a cool way." I will be recommending this book to everyone who appears remotely interested in romance.