I have mixed feelings about this book. It started off really strong but about half way through it started feeling like the romance was more of a subplot. This book had a large focus on Samantha’s family dynamic and dealt with heavy topics including dementia and abusive parents.

I really enjoyed the beginning and the meet cute was perfect. I loved Samantha and Xavier’s first date, he took her to a puppy adoption cruise and literally jumped into a lake to save her phone (are you kidding me?!) I adored all the ACOTAR references and couldn’t stop picturing him as Rhysand in scrubs. Once Samantha moved across the country, Xavier worked relentlessly to make his way back to her. 8 weeks later, the man flies to California because he has a “veterinary conference” to attend but really it’s an excuse to spend 2 days with Samantha - and they aren’t even dating yet. Bless him!

The main disappointment for me was how little time our main characters spent together. Most of their communication was via phone call or text message. I think I would have loved the story a lot more if the FMC and MMC weren’t apart 99% of the time and wasn’t expecting it to be a long distance relationship for the entirety of the book. It felt like the ending was a little rushed and I was really hoping to glimpse more of their life together after Xavier moved to California. The epilogue didn’t give me the closure I was seeking either.

Abby Jimenez never misses. Samantha and Xavier had a an emotional roller coaster of a relationship. They had so much chemistry and care for one another. Samantha was dealing with a lot in her life and I loved seeing Xavier not give up on being with her and doing everything he could to make things work. I couldn’t put this down, another smash hit from Abby.

I love Abby Jimenez and her other books, her writing is always really easy to read and her plots are solid. I’m not sure what it was about this book but I’m not a fan of the insta love trip and this was very much that. That’s the main reason I believe for why I didn’t enjoy this one as much as her other books

I’ve never read a romance book quite like this. I need some time. I’m crying like a baby.

Five strong and well deserved stars!!

This book held my heart in the palm of its hands, and repeatedly smashed it into a thousand tiny pieces. It is beautiful and raw and real. I don’t know how Abby does it. It is so much more than a love story. A big part of the story follows Samantha’s mum (Lisa) as she lives with dementia. You get to see how Samantha’s family comes together to create a safe and loving environment for Lisa. On the opposite side of the country from Xavier.

Xavier and Samantha meet when her cats need to be checked and from the moment they met, honestly I think they knew they were soulmates. There was no point searching for anyone else. They were it for each other. But they couldn’t be together, couldn’t live parallel lives.

Xavier is the definition of, “if he wanted to, he would”. This man put Samantha before his next breath. He did everything in his power to exist in her world. When he knew she couldn’t go to him because of her mum, he went to her. Every. Single. Time. Without hesitation. And a vet? Who prefers animals over people? Animal lover. Immediately soft spot.

This book was heartbreaking beautiful. At times I laughed, at times a cried. My heart goes to everyone whose family deals with dementia.