I adore Katie McGarry’s contemporary novels and always look forward to the latest addition. I was particularly excited for Say You’ll Remember Me because it is a departure from both of her previous series. While I love all the books in the Pushing the Limits series, I am not a huge fan of the Thunder Road series (although I do love Walk the Edge). So while I was excited for Say You’ll Remember Me, I was also a little weary. However, I had nothing to be worried about! Say You’ll Remember Me reminded me so much of her first series, and I loved reading Drix and Elle’s story!

The book begins with Drix returning home after taking part in the governor’s year long Second Chance program for a crime he did not commit. However, he took the fall because he believed his best friend did commit the crime. As a part of the plea deal he made, he now has to be the program’s spokesman. On the other hand, Elle is the governor’s daughter. She loves coding, but keeps this side of herself hidden from her parents, who expect her to be perfect. Her father is currently running for a spot on the Senate, which means Elle needs to act the part of the perfect, beautiful girl at his fundraisers and conferences.

Drix and Elle first meet at a fair right before they both are to appear at one of the governor’s conferences. After playing a carnival game together, Drix steps in to help Elle when he sees her being harassed by two college frat boys. From there, their forbidden romance begins. Since Drix is one of the participants in her father’s program, they are not allowed to date or even be seen together in public. However, that doesn’t stop them from forming a friendship. I love how their relationship develops and how it takes a long time for them to actually jump, even though they are attracted to each other from the start.

One of the reasons I love Katie McGarry novels so much is because of how complex the main characters are and the different themes and topics she weaves into her stories. I felt so much for Elle and Drix as they battled their personal demons. Elle’s relationship with her parents tore me apart because while I could see the love they have for her, I was conflicted by how miserable they were making her by using her for the election campaign. Drix’s inner struggle of trying to figure out who he is and battling the person he used to be. One theme that Katie continually weaves in her stories is how you can form your own families, which is seen with Drix’s family in Say You’ll Remember Me.

Okay, so mild spoiler ahead but WARNING: a dog traumatically dies at the end after being saved from almost being drowned by his owner in the beginning of the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed Say You’ll Remember Me, and I am so glad that Katie has returned to storylines like the ones from the Pushing the Limits series. I highly recommend Katie McGarry’s novels for fans of contemporary romance that are looking for swoon-worthy reads that deal with darker subjects.

Say You'll Remember Me is a YA contemporary featuring two teens from opposite side of the tracks. Hendrix "Drix" is back from doing a year in a juvenile delinquent rehab program. He was there for a crime he didn't commit. Ellie is the governor's daughter who is feeling stifled by her parents and her life. This ended up being just an OK read for me. I didn't like it as much as I was hoping I would.

I had a hard time finding a character other than Drix to like. He was the one person that really seemed to grow. Ellie was really annoying and frustrating. Her parents were over the top and Drix's family wasn't all that likable either. One thing I did like about Drix and Ellie's relationship was that they really became friends first before they got physical. Not that they really do much. This is a pretty clean YA.

But, there were a lot of cheesy and cliche moments throughout the book. I rolled my eyes a few times. The whole scenario with the dog and the hotel was a bit too much. I can't really see any hotel acting the way they did when it comes to the governor of a state. They usually bend over backwards to accommodate and it was a puppy who did no damage. The reaction was not one I would have expected. One part of the book did ring true for me. There are way too many kids who are too poor to have good representation and end up taking plea bargains for crimes they didn't commit. One other thing I would have liked was if the issue of domestic violence was better handled. A follow up to Holiday and her situation would have been nice.

I think fans of this author will enjoy the book. It wasn't bad, it was just OK. Give it a try and see for yourself.

Such a wonderful, bittersweet read. Had me hooked from the first page.

This is classic Katie McGarry at her best, creating great characters who have an interesting relationship right from the beginning. I love getting to see how that relationship develops through the book. The supporting characters added to the story and there were many I wouldn't be opposed to seeing star in their own book. I'm not ready to say goodbye to this group yet.

This is the first Katie McGarry book I have read and i can say that’s im not disappointed and will be picking up more of her other books for sure!

Say You’ll Remember Me is a sexy, intense, addictive contemporary that’s is nothing short of heart wrenching.

Elle and Drix were character so that are so relatable and so realistic that they could be your friends! Elle Is such a kind, lovable, honest and strong character! She’s is someone’s that’s you would want as a friend for sure! Elle has such a beautiful a heart especially for the people’s she has surrounding her. I felt for her so much when people would constantly try to control her but it was so satisfying when she was able to take a stand for herself!

Drix is a damaged but so kind of a soul. Drix not only tried so hard to make things right, but he was so selfless, and loyal but so broken. I wanted nothing more this Tom show him he was worthy of love.

Not only didn’t Katie envelop Elle and Drix but she took the time to develop Drix’s family. It is always appreciated when family is show not and displayed to give the characters more a rich background.

This was such an amazing book and I can’t wait to see If Katie continues the story line!

This is a hard one for me. I'm finding that all of this authors books kind of make me feel one emotion - depression. I know that's wrong and I feel bad when I say that, but it's true...kinda. Some books evoke certain emotion and this one just left me with a bad note. Maybe it was my mood - I don't know, but maybe the next book will be better.

I was given an ARC copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect anyone else's.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2018 February 15

BOOK REPORT for Say You'll Remember Me by Katie McGarry

Cover Story: Fair Game
BFF Charm: Meh x 2
Swoonworthy Scale: 4
Talky Talk: He Said, She Said
Anti-Bonus Factor: Animal Cruelty
Bonus Factor: Examination of the Judicial System
Relationship Status: Not My Type

Cover Story: Fair Game

Do not be fooled: there are exactly zero Ferris wheels in this book. While the scene in which our star-crossed lovers first meet happens at a fair, it actually happens during a game of Whack-a-Mole, and no Ferris wheels make an appearance. For that matter, now that I'm sitting here staring at this cover, it's occuring to me that I'm not sure why the title of this book is Say You'll Remember Me. Did I even read the right book?*

*I did, this cover/title combo just don't really make sense.

The Deal:

Fresh out of a year spent in the governor's pet project, the Second Chance Program, Hendrix is ready to get his life back. Convicted of a crime he didn't commit, he is now commited to being the face of rehabilited teen criminals, traveling with the governor and his family on the election circuit and singing the praises of a program he should never have been a part of.

Ellison is the governor's other pet project: his daughter. She's beautiful, privileged, and must appear perfect at all times. But the constant pressure to be someone she isn't weighs on her, and keeps her from living the life she wants to live.

When Hendrix and Ellison meet on the campaign trail, their connection is immediate and they set out to find the person who framed Hendrix. But they both want something they can't have: each other.

BFF Charm: Meh x 2



Ellison - Elle - has lived a life of privilege but also feels trapped in the spotlight. She's got to be the perfect daughter for her father's campaign, his donors, the media. (I personally found it a bit of a stretch that the daughter of a Kentucky governor would constantly be followed by paparazzi or talked about non-stop on the nightly news, but that's another point entirely.) While I'm sure these are legitimate feelings, I couldn't stop rolling my eyes at Elle. She loved to complain about how no one would take her seriously as a Smart Person because she's just so darn beautiful. What a burden! She just wants to be free to wear glasses and put her hair in a messy bun like other Smart Normals do! Life with a super rich dad is so hard!

Hendrix, who I am sad to say goes by the nickname Drix (cringe), was only slightly less eye-rolly. A classic bad-boy-who-isn't-really-bad, the hardest thing about Drix was that he used to occasionally do drugs and wore baggy jeans with a wallet chain (cringe again). In reality, Drix was a decent guy, albeit a little intense around Elle, and my biggest complaint about him, besides the wallet chain, was that he felt more like a girl's fantasy of what a sexy dude should be and less like a real person.

Swoonworthy Scale: 4

This one really had all the makings of a high swoon score: hot bad boy, hot good girl, external forces keeping them apart no matter how much they want each other, lots of unsupervised hotel rooms. But alas! I never quite felt the heat. Drix and Elle's connection bordered on Insta-Love, and though their get-together wasn't Insta, Drix was fiercely protective and territorial anytime Elle was around other guys. I got some mad Edward Cullen vibes. I was also a little creeped out by the way Drix constantly talked about Elle's body. She couldn't walk into a room without him having an internal monologue about wanting to snack on her legs or something. I am sure that LOTS of people are into this sort of swoon, but it's just not for me.

Talky Talk: He Said, She Said

Having previously mentioned that I didn't REALLY love either of the two main characters, I thought the alternating POVs were essential to Say You'll Remember Me. Elle was at her best when seen through Drix's eyes, and vice versa. McGarry does a bang up job at capturing both characters' voices, and the juxtaposition of their lives was that much more obvious when seen from the other's perspective. That said, the prose didn't exactly sparkle for me. The attempts at humor fell flat, the dialogue was unrealistic, and the whole book felt a little too full of cliches to make me feel really invested in the characters.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Animal Cruelty



Please accept this cute photo of puppies as a bit of self care before I write this trigger warning: There are two cases of animal cruelty in this book, and one of them was almost a dealbreaker for me. I won't lie - I almost put the book down and didn't bother finishing it because of this. I found it completely unnecessary to the story and honestly, I'm still kind of mad I had to read it.

Bonus Factor: Examination of the Judicial System



While McGarry doesn't dive deep into the subject, I did like that she pointed out the flaws in our judicial system that were responsible for Drix spending a year in juvenile detention for a crime he didn't commit. It's sort of a background topic to the romance here, when it deserves a book of its own, but I liked the bits that discussed a flawed system.

Relationship Status: Not My Type

Sometimes opposites attract, but in this case, there was no love connection. We really just want different things, Book, and while I can objectively recognize your finer qualities, they weren't what I need to really fall in love.

" This isn't a made-for TV movie. This is real life, and sometimes in real life, we take a million baby steps until a wound is healed."

This is my first Katie McGarry book and it won't be my last. I've always heard great things about her writing, but now I can say that I've experienced it first hand. This story of Elle and Drix has my heart at the moment. They come from different backgrounds yet they both are learning to stand on their own two feet for the first time. They are smarter than they give themselves credit for and stronger than anyone realizes, both individually and together.

Elle has quickly become a character that I would want to be BFFs with. She is smart, determined, witty and down to earth. And Drix is the bad boy with a heart of gold - he's smarter than he gives himself credit for, he's determined to better his life and those around him and he's strong. The two of them together make a powerhouse couple that I can see going the distance and staying together through thick and thin.

And for those wondering - this was not your typical good girl meets bad boy story. It was so much more than that. It's about fighting for what's right, standing up for yourself and others, putting others first, and accepting help when you need it most. It's about letting love in and sharing the joy your life can hold.

"... That's the problem, I don't know who I am."
"But you know who you aren't. That's a big step."

I think one of the biggest themes in the book was the main characters not having control of their lives. Elle being pretty much forced to be a part of her father's political life and not being able to make choices of her own. And Drix because he pretty much lost his ability to make choices when he signed on to the Second Chances program - he's in the spotlight and needs to make sure he makes no mistakes or he looses everything. When they both finally start standing up for what they believe in and showing that they are stronger than people think, that's when people start noticing them, in a good way. No one expects the Governor's daughter to go against his wishes and the community as a whole seems to be expecting Drix to fail at showing that's he changed his life around.

If you're looking for a great coming of age book and love cheering on the under dog, then this book is perfect for you. It's also filled with some pretty great supporting characters - Holiday, Axle, and sweet Thor.

" All of us have too many tears we haven't shed over the years, and it's time we start releasing the pain. Holding it in isn't working for any of us, and we need to start focusing on each other. Hate hasn't been working out too well either. We've got nothing to lose by trying love."

I should probably just make it official and tell you McGarry is my favorite contemporary teen writer. I haven't read a book by her I didn't like, couldn't put down. So why should this one have been different? It wasn't!

No shocker she fleshes out her characters so well you feel they are your friends or family. No surprise her writing flows so well you can't find a decent stopping point when you're Kindle is hitting you in the face in bed! No surprise you cry some, laugh some, and have those totally sighing moments and none of them make you wan to stop reading.

Drix and Elle are great characters. Drix is this tough exterior with that squishy interior. And Elle is what looks like a push over exterior that turns into a tougher personality than you thought (just listen to the words that cross her lips). But mostly they are just a great mesh together. His hard to her soft. Her snarky to his serious. So much harbored emotion and raw courage from both.

The story itself is tragic: young boy does time for a crime he didn't commit and falls for the privileged girl he doesn't think he deserves; young girl wants to be independent but is ruled by a dominating set of parents and wants to be with a boy she knows they will never accept. This has teen angst written all over it. And, yet, McGarry doesn't do angst. She does emotion and heart wrenching twists. She does characters who look deep into their souls but don't always feel they have what it takes to take what they want. And she does teens who come to grips with becoming independent and standing up for what they feel is right and what they want.

Will I say this is my favorite book by McGarry, no, I cannot betray West and Haley. But I can say McGarry has no issue with sucking me into her stories and keeping me there. With making me feel like I cannot possibly stop reading because I just have to know what happens next. I look forward to more stories that pull me into the trenches, throw me around a bit, and have some sunshine on the other side.

I want to thank InkSlinger and Harlequin Teen for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.

“My issue is my life. It’s closing in on me, and there’s no escape.”
Say You’ll Remember Me is a novel full of second chances, a trope I really enjoy (so relatable!), especially when the second chance has to do with bettering yourself and growing up, and less about relationships.

Ellison (Elle) and Hendrix (Drix) are characters that come from very different backgrounds and lives but they can’t resist their connection to each other. I related to their characters even though my life experiences as a teen were completely different. They just were so real.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again: I have a thing for broken boys with golden hearts. The broken just want to feel like they deserve love and I just want to love them! Drix is broken and enrolled in a Second Chance Program to help stop the school to prison pipeline. He excelled at his rehabilitation and was tasked to be a spokesperson for the Governor’s election campaign.

Elle is the perfect daughter, she does whatever her parents tell her, but she isn’t taking to the whole political spotlight well these days. She has a passion for rescuing animals and computers, both of which her parents insist aren’t the best path. She lets her family change her appearance and puts her interests aside for the better of the campaign.

Elle and Drix have the best meet-cute at the midway playing games and they just can’t seem to take their eyes off of each other. Drix knows she is out of his league and doesn’t think he deserves to even look at a pretty girl. Elle just can’t believe this cute boy is talking to her. They both figure out who they are under trying circumstances in which the media blows out of proportion. They start to become friends on the campaign trail even though they have been forbidden to be seen together.

What Drix doesn’t know is that the Governor’s daughter is irresistible and politics are a slimy business. They break all the rules and eventually can’t imagine their lives without one another. Scandal rocks them both, and eventually they each have to decide what it is they truly want in life and what are they willing to give up to be the person they are inside.

This story is full of love, growth, and emotion. Like get the tissues ready because my eyes are leaking. I can’t say what happens because it is a spoiler, but damn McGarry I am MAD at you!

Katie McGarry is an auto-buy author for me, she is my number one recommended YA contemporary author and I tell everyone they should read her books. Her books always have something to learn and a love so fierce it is easy to get lost within. Say You’ll Remember Me is another winner to add onto the wonderful, poignant look she takes to the world of YA contemporary.

I’ve loved Katie McGarry’s writing from the very beginning. After reading an advanced reader’s copy of Pushing the Limits way back in 2012 (You can check out the Bookworms’ review of that first book here.), I was sucked in by Katie’s writing and devoured the book in one day. Her books are so full of emotion, love, and angst while being realistic and hopeful. Since any of her novels are an automatic pre-order for me, I’ve been waiting since last July to get my hands on this book. My hard cover came in the mail this week, and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. Now I have a pristine copy on my bookshelf since I read an e-ARC, and I fell in love with her characters all over again.

Drix is fresh out of a new program put together by the governor to rehabilitate incarcerated teens without years of jail time. After confessing to the armed robbery of a convenience store, he takes a plea deal that places him in this Second Chance Program where he and several other teens live in the woods, camp, and receive therapy for three months before being released back into society with sealed court records. He then finds out that he’s been picked as the poster boy for this treatment plan, and he becomes their shining example of how successful it is. His first public appearance is at the state fair. Little did he know that his world would change playing Whack-A-Mole with a beautiful blonde stranger.

Elle is tired of being in the spotlight as the daughter of the governor. She’s constantly attending events to help her father, especially now that he’s making a bid for a Senate seat. She’s trapped in a cycle of being squeaky clean, made up, and dressed in designer clothing while doing her parents’ bidding, so she slips away from the family friend that’s supposed to accompany her in public. Alone, she feels like she can finally be herself without the pressure to perform, to be someone that is exhausting to play. Then she meets Drix at the fair, and the attraction is mutual. He saves her from a few guys that were hassling her, and they part ways thinking that they will never see each other again. But her knight in shining armor shows up at her father’s speech in the assembly hall, and she realizes that this caring, protective, very attractive guy is her father’s dancing monkey–and a convicted criminal.

Drix is loyal, honest, and driven to make something out of himself now that he’s a free man. But he soon realizes that he’s not free–he’s beholden to a governor that will do anything it takes to prove that his Second Chance Program is a success. Elle has been told to stay away from Drix, but their connection and attraction can’t be denied and they start to date in secret–but for how long? Elle is optimistic and expects the best out of those that she loves. She wants to be free to pursue her loves: animals and helping people, and she doesn’t get the opportunity to put down her guard when surrounded by her father’s staff or even her parents. With Drix, she can put her hair up in a messy bun and wear glasses, but to the outside world and media, she must be the picture of perfection.

While everyone thinks that Elle’s life is easy and perfect, it’s not good to be under the thumbs of your parents. She group up with money and all that came with it, but Drix had a completely different upbringing and has barely scraped by in poverty. Drix lives with his older brother and younger sister, and their house is in a low wealth neighborhood. At first he sees everything the governor asks him to do as a clean slate, to make something of himself by pursuing music at a performing arts high school. The governor’s help might have been promised, but the most support he gets is from Elle, and he’s not willing to let that go easily.

Drix and Elle’s lives look like polar opposites in most aspects, but they both struggle with finding out who they really are. They both know their roles and responsibilities in this world, and together they work towards finding a happy medium that they can live with. But while Drix was willing to go to jail for a crime he didn’t commit to save someone he loves from doing the time, there’s only so much he can take while people don’t see him as anything more than a criminal. Helping them along the way are Drix’s family and friends, and these side characters really shine when they’re on the page.

I give SAY YOU’LL REMEMBER ME a five out of five. Drix and Elle were so great together, and it felt like they were real, fully-formed people that you could meet in reality. I felt suffocated and trapped right along with them both, and their lows hurt my heart while it soared in their times of happiness. That’s why I love Katie McGarry books, and I’ve come to expect such deep emotions from her writing. Say You’ll Remember Me is a great example of how to write young adult fiction and forbidden love, and it has definitely set the bar high for contemporary young adult romance. I can also add this book to the short list of books that have made me cry on the train during my commute. I really did not want Drix and Elle’s story to end, and I hope to someday read more about them in the future.

I absolutely love Katie McGarry's books because she brings such wonderful characters to her readers. Drix is definitely the bad boy with a really good heart. He served time in prison for a time he didn't commit and is coming home to be part of a second chance program. This program is supposed to help him get his life back on track. Drix has to deal with a lot of prejudices from others that don't know his circumstances. They just believe that he is a terrible person because he spent time in prison. People don't know his back story, so Drix battles with finding his own path when people won't give him a chance.

Then we have Elle. Elle is the daughter of a governor. She does everything right and is very much a goodie-two-shoes but she is dying for the chance to spread her wings and have an adventure. It just happens that it is Elle's father that puts together the second chance program that Drix is now part of. Like any bad boy love story, these two try their hardest to stay away from each other. Mainly because they do come from two very different worlds.

I really liked this story because their is so much emotion that McGarry writes on to the page. As the reader, you can't help but get swept away. I absolutely love how this is a story about finding yourself and your future. These characters are messy but I love them.

I loved this so much! Katie McGarry is one of my favorite YA authors. I haven’t read a book by her that I didn’t like, but I think Drix and Elle’s story might be my new favorite. They were so sweet together and I loved that they had a slow burn relationship. It was so cute to watch their relationship unfold.

Say You’ll Remember Me easily sucked me in and I didn’t want the story to end. It was realistic, heartwarming, and so beautiful. Drix and Elle are characters that will definitely stay with me for a long time.

Katie McGarry fans will love this coming of age story!

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING BOOK by Katie McGarry!!!! This year has been amazing so far for new releases, and McGarry is the newest addition to my top reads of 2018!

Hendrix and Elle are complete opposites in every sense of the word. He has just been released from an experimental juvenile program that sends kids convicted of crimes to a facility that provides treatment and counseling and then an outdoor program instead of prison, the Second Chance Program. He comes a broken family with an absent mother and father. His brother Axle is the one constant in his life, along with his sister, Holiday. Elle is the governor’s daughter, the same governor who started the Second Chance Program. She has all the things that Hendrix and his family never had…two involved parents and safety. They are two people who would never travel in the same circles, yet when a chance encounter has a domino effect, they both discover they do have something in common...they need to find out who they really are and the freedom to pursue their dreams.

Hendrix and Elle fascinated me from the very beginning. The story is told in their own voices which illustrates what complex and multi-layered characters they were. Hendrix is the first to admit he was a jerk who only cared about himself before he was convicted of a crime and sent to the Second Chance Program. He has a chance to start with a “blank slate,” but he is unsure of what that is. He’s numb, cutting off all feelings and emotions, afraid if he allows them out, he will find himself right back where he started, except this time in a jail cell. He definitely wants to change his life and do something with it, so he’s extremely careful in what he does. When he sees Elle, he finally feels something. He knows she is something special.

“She was a cool breeze after a hot humid rain. She was that first ray of sunshine in the dark woods. She was the first d**n things that made me forget who I am and what I’ve gotten myself into over the past year. That means she was out of my league.”

He does his best to keep his distance, especially when he finds out she is the daughter of the governor, the man who has Hendrix’s fate in his very hands. But, circumstances will push these two very close.
Ellie was such strong young woman, even if those closest to her never realized so much. The only ones who do are her brother, Henry, and Hendrix. She is an instrument her family uses for their own political purposes. She feels the pressure to live up to her parents’ unrealistic expectations, always having to put aside her dreams for them. Hendrix allows her the ability to be herself and share with him her aspirations for the future. She lives with all sorts of chances others aren’t afforded, yet she is just as much a prisoner as Hendrix is. I loved the way their relationship was developed. They were friends first and then more, even though Hendrix was understandably hesitant at first. I just prayed these two could find their own way together.

Not only was this a book about romance and self-discovery, it took a hard and much needed look at the inequality in our legal system and access to education and the darker side of politics. Hendrix found a much deeper purpose in advocating for the program that changed his life and had the potential to change other at-risk kids’ lives. Through Elle’s father, I saw that wanting to make a positive change and becoming a politician are quite different. They can begin hand-in-hand, yet sacrifices and decisions are made that could well help a majority, but what about the individual. That was a hard question that I’m not sure will ever be answered. Not all politicians are evil, some are human who have very hard decisions to make, and not all of them are good.
With the added suspense and quest to prove Hendrix’s innocence just made the book that much better. I can’t end my review without highlighting the sense of family and friendship in the book. Hendrix’s brother, Axle, was one of the biggest heroes in the book, not with extravagant gestures of love but with simple gestures done daily that showed his family how much they were loved. If you are looking for a young adult romance with great depth and emotions, look no further than Say You’ll Remember Me.

***Read and Reviewed for Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews***

Writing this review is hard, because I don’t know what I can say that would do justice to this incredible book. I’m not sure what to say that I haven’t already said about McGarry’s books, and I’m not sure how to put into words just how I felt reading this book.

Say You’ll Remember Me is a beautiful story about second chances. It’s a story will touch the reader, that will stay with you even after you finish it. It’s a story that will make you cry because you can’t help but relate to the characters, and what they’re going through isn’t easy. It’s a story that will make you gasp, because you can’t believe what you just read. It’s a story that will leave you struggling to breathe, a story that will hurt. But the stories that hurt are also the stories that you remember, the stories that need to be told.

What made this book so incredible, so magical, was the characters. While the writing, the plot, the story in itself, was amazing and all made for a great book, the characters were what made it remarkable, memorable. I found Elle really relatable. Even though we are very different people, her struggles are something I think a lot of kids struggle with, and probably always will. And it makes this book so much harder to read, but so much more meaningful, too.

Elle is selfless and caring, and she can’t keep herself from bringing home stray animals. Just that makes her the best person in the world to me. But she’s trying so hard to be what her parents want her to be, even though it’s not who she wants to be. She really just wants her parents to be proud of her, and what kid doesn’t want that?

Then there is Drix, and let me tell you, he’s become one of my favourite book boyfriends. While readers can’t seem to help but love the mysterious bad boys, there’s more to Drix than that. While I liked how badass and strong Drix is, what really stole my heart was how he could also show vulnerability. He doesn’t feel the need to pretend like he doesn’t feel things, to pretend that things don’t affect him. And it’s such a rare thing in books that I just couldn’t keep myself from falling for him. Because sometimes, it takes more bravery to be vulnerable than it does to stay strong.

Another thing that I found really important in this book is how it shows how much we are affected by the people we meet. I love the relationship between Drix and Elle, because they both help each other so much. Drix helps Elle come out of her shell and start doing things for herself, and no one else, and Elle helps Drix find peace. They’re in love, sure, but they are also close friends, and that’s beautiful. And the easy conversation between them from the start makes it funny, as well.

The plot is good and well thought-out, and it brings attention to a big problem that needs more attention. McGarry isn’t afraid of writing about things people would prefer to pretend don’t exist, or aren’t as big as they really are, and I love it. Say You’ll Remember Me is a wonderful example of why people should read – not because you learn new words or become better at the language, but because it can teach you important things about society, and maybe, hopefully, open people’s eyes to our society’s problems.

Finally, there is the writing. While all of the above is quite enough to make it an amazing read, the writing has this tension, this realness, that makes a book impossible to forget. McGarry has this incredible ability to write such relatable, real teenage voices that truly make the characters come alive on the page. It hits your heart each and every time.

Say You’ll Remember Me is an unforgettable story that will make your heart hurt, and make you cry, but it will also make you feel light, and make you laugh. It will break your heart, and then mend it, only to break it again. But you won’t care, because the story is so beautifully written that you won’t be able to put it away.

SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME is the first novel I've read by Katie McGarry but it definitely won't be the last. I'm a sucker for YA contemporary, especially for the more realistic, raw, heart-tugging plots. This book hit every one of my expectations.

We follow Drix, a teenage felon on the wrong side of the tracks and Ellison, the governor's daughter who is made out to be the perfect Southern belle. When these two characters meet, their chemistry is undeniable. They know they shouldn't be together, that it would be wrong, but they care for each other. They fall in love with not only the person who they are but also the person that they know they can become to be. And to me, that's beautiful.

I really enjoyed the family dynamics in this book, granted some of it isn't healthy. I love how Drix's family aren't all bioligcally related, which goes to show that you don't have to share the same blood in order to be considered family. The way his brother, Axle, will let anyone who needs a safe place to live stay with him, even though they don't have much money or barely any room for themselves in their small one bedroom house is amazing. This family is not about to let the troubled people from their past destroy any hope for them to have an amazing and bright, successful future ahead of them.

Which leads me to Elle's parents who seem to be doing everything but that. I understand having supportive parents but there is a fine line between support and control. I couldn't help but feel so awful for Elle while she was trying to make a career path for herself and was working hard to do what she loved, only to have her parents tell her no and that her time is better worth spent helping them on a political campaign. Now I'm not expert considering I have no children, but shouldn't parents be wanting the best for their kids and helping them pursue their dreams instead of holding them back for selfish reasons? That really got me.

Overall, SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME is a heart-wrenching, make you wanna sob your eyes out kind of book but it's so worth the read and I highly recommend that you pick this up as soon as possible.

Again, thank you so much to Inkslinger, Harlequin Teen and Katie McGarry for providing me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

In between reading Katie McGarry novels, I tend to forget the emotional impact they always have on me--Say You'll Remember Me was no exception. At one point I actually sobbed--not quite The Boy in the Striped Pajamas -level of sobbing (OMG, that ending), but sobbing nonetheless.

I loved Drix and Elle's story. Besides being one heck of an emotional read, it really made me think about so many topics that seem more relevant today than ever--our legal and prison systems, class and income differences, the media, and the motivations and ultimate goals of our politicians. Obviously this is a fictional story, but Ms. McGarry's writing not only made her characters feel real, it immerses her readers into a world that feels absolutely true to life.

After finishing this one I just wanted to sit quietly for a bit and think, still wrapped up in the world of the characters Ms. MsGarry created here. Sadly, life has other ideas--no worries, though, because this is definitely one that will go on my keeper shelf and that I'll be bringing out again...and again.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Favorite Quotes:

He must believe there’s nothing in my skull beyond the beginnings of hair follicles.

It’s creepy hanging with you… It’s like you’re the Walking Dead. I’m half expecting someone to jump out with a samurai sword and slice out your heart.

“I don’t know how to get them to leave me alone.” I pause, then the bitterness leaks out as well as a grim grin. “At least not without a baseball and a well-placed throw. Some people shouldn’t be allowed to continue their genetics.”

What does being mature mean? Mature feels an awful lot like being tamed, and so far, I’m not caring for the view from my cage.

Andrew and I are barely friends, and most days I lean toward thinking he should be neutered.

Drix gives that dog anything he wants. I’m warning you in case you guys grow up, get married and have babies. When the zombie apocalypse happens, he’s saving the dog before he saves any of us.


My Review:

I was stunned and off-balance by how much I enjoyed this skillfully crafted, engrossing, and heart-squeezing tale. I was immediately sucked in by the engaging storytelling and quick to fall for these enticing and intriguing characters, although I occasionally wanted to give several of them a pop to the back of their head and lock the bratty sister in her room. I very rarely read YA since I don’t like being reminded of those claustrophobic and hopeless feelings due to being powerless to the forces of controlling and cruel adults. But I couldn’t seem to put this one down. Adulting may be hard but it’s ever so sweet to make your own choices once out from under a menacing or suffocating thumb, as was the case for these two diversely different teens. Both were miserable and under intense pressure and scrutiny but had completely dissimilar life experiences. Elle was a naïve and wealthy private school girl who had everything but freewill as she was little more than a trained monkey to her political parents’ dog and pony show. Hendrix was a cynically resigned, street-smart, and overly exposed delinquent fresh out juvenile detention. An unlikely pair who had been forbidden to interact while on the campaign trail, but of course, they meshed and became fast friends who eventually set off fireworks in their nether regions. I sighed with relief at the satisfying conclusion and certainly wouldn’t mind seeing the tale of this ragtag grouping further developed into a series.

Life has knocked down Drix, yet he is moving forward to make the best of a bad situation. Not the guilty one, yet standing up for his family, he has taken the fall. This leads him to Elle. The two couldn’t be any more different on the surface but beneath the façade, they soon learn that opposites attract.

Katie McGarry has me addicted to YA and no matter what age I hit, I will always pick up her books. Say You’ll Remember Me was on par with everything I have read from her. Strong heroes and heroines, solid storylines, and lovable secondary characters. I am always drawn into a McGarry book and Say You’ll Remember Me was no different. This one will have you laughing, shedding a couple tears, and falling for this Drix/Elle love affair tenfold. Add this one to your 2018 must read list.

This was a good romance as is usual from Katie McGarry. She is one of the authors that is on my automatic reading list...anything that comes out from her will be read. I love recommending her books to my high school students. I really liked the characters in this story and think a lot of my high school students could relate to them very well.