Say you'll remember me by Abby Jimenez

I loved this book, I devoured it over two days. The two main characters Samantha and Xavier had the most incredible chemistry and it just felt so real and correct. The writing really made me feel for the characters with the time spent away from each other, I could feel their pain, and Xavier has been one of my favorite main male character this year. Samantha's family were also such a good world to get caught up in and really interesting to read about. Humour was also really well dotted into the harder to read topics.

Many thanks Netgalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and Piatkus for this e-arc in return for my honest thoughts and opinions

3.75 stars
I’ve read all of Abby Jimenez’s books, apart from The Friend Zone. So, I feel like I’m used to things not going too smoothly for our main characters. But this just felt like an exercise in how many horrible things can we make them go through in 400 pages.
If losing her mother to dementia wasn’t bad enough (spoilers to follow), then having her gran die, her father sneakily start dating, them feeling trapped by their circumstances and both travelling to see one another at the exact same time, and losing her job, as soon as he got pneumonia all I could think was please give them a break.
I do think it was a heartbreaking yet realistic portrayal of caring for a loved one with dementia, though. Abby’s books always make me think and are so much more than a typical romance.
But for it to end with him abandoning his practice, when that was something neither of them really wanted him to do the whole way through as it would essentially bankrupt him, felt pretty anticlimactic. Yes, he didn’t have as much tying him down compared to her, other than his practice, but he was the one always sacrificing his time and money and literally working himself to the bone to be with her.
And don’t get me started on them renovating the house when clearly that money could have been better spent elsewhere.
Basically, everyone was miserable in this bar the odd bright moment and I typically read romance for a bit of escapism and joy.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

✨ veterinarian x social media manager
✨ Long distance relationship
✨ Dementia rep
✨ Calm, put together, introverted MMC
✨ Funny, extroverted FMC
✨ Family relations
✨ Emotional, realistic story
✨ Yearning
✨ Chemistry
✨ Less sp!ce, mostly closed door 1.5🌶️

Synopsis:
When a fragile kitten brings them together, love finds its way, just in time to be torn apart.
Samantha never expected a scrappy rescue cat with rare genetic issues to change her life. But when she crosses paths with Xavier- guarded and frustratingly handsome - his warnings only make her more determined. So she fights. She fundraises. And she saves the cat.
Xavier can’t help but fall - for her stubborn hope and soft heart. Their first date is magical. Only to realise Samantha is moving 2,000 miles away to care for her mother with dementia.
They promise to let go. They try. But distance doesn’t dull the ache. What begins as a goodbye turns into a long-distance relationship neither of them knows how to end or how to make work.
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My thoughts:
Abby Jimenez's fictional men >>>>>
.
I loved it. Abby Jimenez's books feel so realistic, the struggles and real life that brings them together are so beautifully written. The yearning is so palpable. They were so cute together, i couldn't stop smiling. And apart it was like tearing apart my heart. Also the mother's illness was described so tenderly but also showing us the real struggles in taking care of her, how the entire family comes together to help and compensate. It was so good.
I had some issues in the beginning about the insta connection, but I understand that is for the plot.
🌟🌟🌟🌟

I like Abby Jimenez stories regardless of the genre. This one was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed it
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Abby Jimenez has done it again - Another perfect book boyfriend, (my) perfect humor, showing us that life isn’t always color and sunshine and rainbows but still giving us hope and love to cling onto, being able to make me laugh then cry then giggle while kicking my feet (in no certain order) all within the span of an hour…my queen can do me no wrong.

Also, for many personal reasons and experiences, I resonated and related with this book on so many levels and therefore has a very special place in my heart!

Every single book Abby Jimenez has written is amazing, but this might just be my favorite. It’s beautiful.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this

I know some people found it predictable but i think sad as the story was it felt relatable and realistic on so many levels. I was sad because i felt that while both characters had POVs they didnt have the same growth arc by the end of the book, hence my lowish rating

I love being on the verge of tears while reading a book. Thank you Abby Jimenez.

Almost achieved elite romance status of Yours Truly and Just For the Summer but didn't quite hit it. After the half way point it felt a bit repetitive in terms of the what was happening with Xavier and Samantha's relationship and the blockers. It felt like they could of worked things out a little sooner, but while reading you can definitely understand the challenges they're both facing and they needed to come to the resolution in their own time.

Xavier and Samantha made me laugh and I loved their dynamic. So many perfect moments, I could see this working so well as a movie. The dementia element was emotional and I liked that it was handled with so much care. It reminded me how life can change so suddenly that you need to enjoy every moment with the ones you love while you can and hold on to those memories and the way they make you feel before they're lost forever.

Can't wait to see who Abby Jimenez writes about next in her universe!

Another beautiful summer book from Abby Jimenez! These books are so much more than just a romance book or a summer read! I love everything this author writes/

I’m not a huge fan of romantic comedy but Abby Jimenez is an exception. I love the authors style of writing and each sentence just flows until you’re completely engrossed. Say You'll Remember Me did not disappoint at all, it was cute, fun and a quick easy read. Thanks NetGalley and publishers for the arc.

I absolutely adored this book, I have actually read both the digital edition and listened to the audio because something about it just works for me.

Similar to all of her other books which I absolutely loved this book had such a good amount of depth combined with the romance, just the right amount of banter combined with the darkness and I think it just makes me connect so much more with the characters. I really enjoyed both Samantha and Xavier’s development throughout the story as they navigated such real problems and hurdles along the way. One thing that always stands out for me is that perfect balance of their relationship growing but them as individual characters growing too.

I don’t normally love ‘insta-love’ type books but I think because of the other things going on in this one, the romance almost felt secondary to the family situation and dynamics which for me hit the spot perfectly as that’s what I gravitate towards as a reader. I think a lot happened for the characters but I also think that’s life and that’s what left me so connected, life doesn’t stop when you find love or when one bad thing happens and I liked that she managed to keep the focus on all of the things at once.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and just found the realness of the characters and story so engaging and refreshing

I had high expectations for this book that sadly weren't met. It was incredibly insta-lovey, which is a huge turn off for me. To be honest, there was never a point where I actively wanted Samantha and Xavier to get together, and for a romance book that's a huge miss. Actually, I feel like the book should have stopped after, when Xavier comes to California, they decide not to see each other again.

The main overriding feeling from this book is "oh woe is me". Every single thing that can go wrong with these two goes instantly and catastrophically wrong. After the third instance, it just got too much.

Someone explain to me why, if Xavier is no contact with his abusive parents, he answered his mother's call. I can't wrap my head around it at all. And I've tried.

There's an underlying feeling of almost a trauma bond between these two. I just never got on board with this.

One plus point was the depiction of a family member with dementia, and Samantha's family dynamic. I'd have read a whole book about that.

I loved Abby Jimenez's writing
She is an automatic book buy for me and Say You'll Remember Me did not disappoint. I loved it. It was a cute and fun read that had me hooked from page one.

I am not a super big fan of romcoms but I love abby jimenez I will say this one was alot more heavy than her others but I still enjoyed it she is a fantastic writer and I will read anything she writes

I absolutely love Abby Jimenez books and this one was no exception.
This was such a heartwarming book with all the funny, romantic and adorable moments one can possibly want.
I loved the two main characters, however I felt some lack of description on the physical aspects of the characters. But what I loved the most was that it happened so much outside the romantic aspect of the book. Lots of family issues and dynamics that made the story feel extremely real.
This is absolutely a book you need to read this summer.

What a beautiful read! A contemporary romance full of genuine characters and pure emotion. It was so authentic and refreshing to read.

There’s a LOT to unpack here, I don’t know where to even begin.

I think the concept of this book was “how much suffering & trauma could the writer put the main characters through” or maybe this was a personal challenge for the author to put as much misery as possible in a single book. I’m not new to AJ books, I knew she always make the characters life’s difficult. But this is too much, even from her. At first I tried to sympathize with the characters, then it’s getting ridiculously excessive and I was starting to get tired of it all.

I didn’t mind the insta-attraction, even though generally I’m not a fan of it. I quite enjoyed their dynamics at the beginning. I get that sharing personal struggles is crucial in a relationship, with the whole trust thing and whatnot, but I feel like they’re mostly trauma bonding. And the further I read the more it seemed like they’re developing an attachment issue with each other😭 I couldn’t see it as romantic gesture I’m so sorry. Don’t get me started on when they wanted to surprise each other. It almost made me start pulling my hair😭😭😭

Okay fine this book wasn’t all bad. I liked the theme about memory, about forgetting and remembering, showing what dementia looks like. There’s some profound and beautiful quotes. I liked Tristan’s character. There’s a scene that successfully made me cry, even though it’s not about the main relationship. But that’s just it. My discontentment still out-weight them. NOT TO MENTION the reference to a character from a controversial series; and the slight xenophobic sentiment that, thankfully, didn’t make it to the finished copy but it’s still wild to think that AJ wrote it in the first place. I was positively BAFFLED.

In conclusion I don’t like this book. Might still give AJ’s future books a chance, but I’m starting to mentally put a warning on her.

I’ll say this first: Abby Jimenez never writes a “just romance” book, and that’s exactly why I keep reaching for her stories. Her books always come with so much more than love and longing. There’s depth, there’s heartache, there’s growth—and there’s always a sense that you’re stepping into lives that existed long before page one. Say You’ll Remember Me continues that trend beautifully.

This one felt heavy in the best way. It’s about trauma and survival, about what it means to let someone in when you’ve spent years building walls. The romance is intense, the banter is sharp, and the emotional connection is undeniable. Abby knows how to write chemistry that simmers, but it’s the emotional vulnerability that really pulls you in.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a sucker for Abby Jimenez's perfect blend of laughs and feels! Say You'll Remember Me delivers her signature emotional punch, though I'm still debating if it tops my personal favourites list.

Xavier Rush is practically a rom-com fantasy come to life—a dreamy vet with Greek god looks cradling kittens? Sign me up! Until, of course, he opens his mouth and proves even gorgeous men can be total foot-in-mouth disasters. But watching Samantha knock him down a peg is half the fun! Their chemistry explodes during one epic date, only for Samantha to drop the bombshell that any relationship is off the table. Her plea for Xavier to remember their perfect night while forgetting her altogether is heartbreaking—yet some connections refuse to fade, proving that sometimes life's greatest love stories begin with a single unforgettable moment.

The book dives into some heavy themes like grief and loss while still keeping the narrative buoyant.

Xavier and Samantha's relationship had me invested, though occasionally their back-and-forth felt like spinning wheels rather than moving forward.

Full disclosure: I follow Jimenez on social media, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the not-so-subtle mentions of her bakery—again! I get it's her passion project, but sometimes it reads like a commercial break in the middle of our story. Same goes for Gran's Dart car, which sometimes got more loving descriptions than the actual romance! These moments really pulled me out of the narrative, making parts of the story feel more like being told what to feel rather than experiencing it organically.

But that's just my take! Despite these quirks, it remains a charming, worthwhile read that left me smiling.

This book was so electric, it was amazing to live through the hardship of a long distance relationship and getting to feel all the emotions. Samantha and Xavier were literally the perfect match. I couldn't put it down!