This is such a spectacular book. I normally struggle with characters being too perfect (cough xavier), but the conflicts were so large and real that it almost made it hit harder. Like…. look how perfect these two are and they still can’t make it work. so good so heartfelt so magic.

My rating: 4.5 stars ⭐️
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“I’d like to look back on my life and remember every single thing. But if I don’t, I hope I remember that it was a love story. And that the love story was about you.”
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I’m obsessed. I wish I could be normal, but I’m not – I’m screaming (screeching) and crying (bawling like a baby). If you know me, you know I don’t play about Abby Jimenez’s books. I’m obsessed with every story she writes, this one included…

If you enjoy non-toxic relationships, a grumpy x sunshine duo (he’s in fact very grumpy but the world’s biggest simp for her), a bumpy meet-cute that involves a very small kitten, mental health & Alzheimer’s rep, and bouncing between crying and laughing, then this one’s for you!!

Fun fact #1: this was my most anticipated read of 2025 and it did not fail me. I ate it up. Fun fact #2: I’ve actually been obsessed with the song “Come On Eileen” recently, so it felt like fate when I cracked open this book and the song immediately became an inside joke amongst the main characters. Fun fact #3: Abby always finds a way to pull me out of a reading slump, as well as make me teary and cry.

There was just something so compelling about Xavier and Samantha’s story, which made this book so lovable and easy to fly through. They just seemed to fit so well together. I cannot tell you how happy I was when their relationship never turned toxic and they actually fought for one another.. The overall message that love transcends all was clearly displayed through their relationship and through Xavier’s actions specifically (need that and him asap). With that being said though, this book was heavily focused on just their relationship (in my opinion). One thing that I have admired about Abby’s writing is her ability to create distinct characters that go through many stages of individual growth within 300-400 pages. So while the characters were still nicely flushed out (because they do grow and change with their relationship, since that’s the whole point), I personally wish that we could have explored their struggles and trauma a bit more.

Now, I shall fangirl over the man of the hour – Xavier Rush. A man, a man, a ma-an-an (or however that one tiktok audio goes)!! Definition of ‘if he wanted to, he would.’ I present to you the CEO of green flag central. When I tell you that I would actually sell my soul to experience that level of love irl. I would protect him with everything in me (yes, I did cry for him). *screams.*

Anyways, I can’t talk about much more without spilling the beans, but I definitely encourage everyone to give this book a try. I hope all of you find some sort of comfort in this story.

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A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC!
*Note: this is an HONEST SPOILER FREE REVIEW*

Rating: ♾️⭐️
Spice: Open Door, 🌶️ 🌶️

🐕 This is my new favorite Abby Jimenez book. I thought Jacob could not be topped from Yours Truly but Xavier 🥹😭 why am I tearing up just thinking about him? And Samantha 🥹

This is such a poignant and emotional exploration into the things we do for family and the things we do for love. What makes Abby Jimenez stand out to me is the way she breaks down how love feels in such an honest and raw way. I feel as if I am falling in love just as the characters are. I too am getting butterflies in my stomach and feeling my chest tighten whenever things go wrong. This story portrays love so beautifully that you can’t help but become invested.

As always, the banter and supporting characters are well developed and add so much depth to the story. While there are fun elements, and swoon worthy moments, this story does not steer away from delving into difficult emotional topics. And friends, they’re tough so come prepared with tissues.

This is a book that I will continue to come back to and I will think about because of its beautiful reminder of how precious our memories are.

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it every single time. No one writes men like Abby Jimenez. Such a cute read. There were quite a few pop culture references, but not enough to turn me away, and very worth sticking through.

Seeing Samantha and Xavier’s relationship grow over taking care of Samanthas mother was such a heartwarming moment. Xavier dropping everything to fly across the country and take care of Samantha and her family when everything was falling apart? A king.

Samantha’s journey from living in the Midwest to moving back to California to help care for her mother with Alzheimer’s was incredible. Easily one of my favorite FMC’s Jimenez has given us. Felt like her inner workings and handling of her family was extremely relatable.

I really wanted to love Say You’ll Remember Me, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me. I gave it a fair shot, hoping I’d connect with the story or the characters, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get into it. Sometimes, a book just doesn’t click, and this was one of those for me.

In tears by the end of this book - nothing new. Lots of laughs, tears, and feet kicking moments.

Xavier and Samantha are pushed together by fate & a butthole-less kitten that needs surgery or to be put down. After a quick fight and determination Samantha shows back up weeks later to show that Xavier she did in fact save the kittens life and didn’t need to put him down despite his recommendation. Xavier comes to his senses and asks Samantha out not knowing she was leaving town for good the next day.

They share a great night, lots of laughs, and wishing Samantha wasn’t leaving. But that is not going to deter Xavier. Many flights, texts, and phone calls lead to an emotional long distance relationship while also navigating many family relationships. These two went through the wringer and still came out on top.

Tropes:
- forced proximity
- long distance relationship
- navigating family relationships
- grumpy x sunshine

Only downside is the Xavier constantly being compared to Rhysand in looks 😬

I came into this book with skepticism because the Part of Your World Series was so incredible, but I should ever doubt Abby. She wrote another amazing romance book with substance.

Sam and Xavier were so precious. Some parts of it felt ~unbelievable~, but is that just not what romance stories are? In another universe, I sort of wished this book was a tragic love story…

Thank you Forever Publishing for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

I have been a fan of Abby Jimenez for a number of years now. My favorite part about her writing Is that she isn’t afraid to discuss topics that are heavy within the confines of the Romance genre. This was a book that I think pushed a lot boundaries and will test the endurance of a lot of readers. It deals with quite heavy topics. I had seen some reviews that thought the things her characters went through were “too much.” But the more I sit and think about the book, I think it was painfully real.

Even if someone is experiencing grief, depression, job loss, etc, they deserve love. They deserve a partner who endures these seasons with them. They deserve somene who stands by them, supports them, cares for them and allows themselves to cared for. I think I loved this book, personally. It has everything fans of her books will love, but it is definitely truly heavy and I encourage you to proceed with caution if any of the trigger warnings are something too close to home for you right now.

Synopsis:

“There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong…. . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Characters—I loved Xavier and Samantha. I loved their personalities and how they complemented each other. While insta-love may not be a trope I am a fan of, this didn’t feel like the cheesy insta-love I have come to loathe. It was an instant connection. The beginning of the story felt so cinematic with how they connected. Their flirtations felt natural and I believed it right away.

The Banter—Abby’s writing is really great in this book.. I laughed, I swooned, I ached with them. I loved how they leaned on each other but nothing felt too much.

The Endurance of the Characters’ Love—As someone who has gone through a lot in the last five years, I truly felt how they loved each other. These characters experience a lot of hardship together and separately. But that is how life is sometimes. Bad things happen and sometimes those things pile on and on until it feels like you’ll break. They helped each other put the pieces together.

Discussion of Long Distance—I did long distance with my now husband for quite sometime and everyone wants to believe it’s not possible. it’s HARD. But not because you resent the person. It’s hard because you want them there so badly but circumstances have you living separately. It’s not easy. But for the right person, you’ll do anything to make it work.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

Is it “Too Much?” —I saw some reviews claiming that Abby hates her characters and what they went through was too much. I don’t think it is, because sometimes every bad thing happens in succession. It’s heavy to read about, especially if you’re expecting a banter filled silly romance. But what I love about the genre is that it is expansive and inclusive. No matter what you’ve endured or life throws at you, you deserve love.

The Ending…—I was wondering how she was going to wrap up or find a solution to their separation. I liked it, the mroe I think about it. The only thing I didn’t like (spoiler warning!) was that Sam gave up her job offer. Now, I have never had to be a primary caretaker so I don’t judge them. But it did make me a little sad and I hope wherever she is now, she still gets to do work she loves.

Character Authenticity: 5/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 5/5

Content Warnings:

Severe dementia, being a caregiver, grief, death of a loved one, mentions of animal abuse (one past, one on the page), illness, child abuse (past), emotional abuse, abandonment

This story by Abby Jimenez was a good balance between heavy and light. She did her homework on the dementia scenes, which at times were
difficult to read, but totally accurate. The romance aspect was a bit frustrating a bit hopeful, and a bit perfect. Overall, this was a well written, researched, and enjoyable story.

Thank you, @readforeverpub , for an advanced digital copy of this book!

Say You’ll Remember Me was totallyamazing! Abby Jimenez is one of my auto-buy authors, and this novel did not disappoint. She perfectly balances heavy subject matter with romance, expertly integrating them into the narrative. I was hooked from the first page, couldn’t put the book down. As always, there’s witty banter, laugh-out-loud moments, and side charactersthat stick with you.

Xavier and Samantha’s determinationto make a long-distance relationship succeed provided me with such hope. I rooted for them as they learned to navigate their new relationship, and their trials left me emotionally devastated. The most poignantelement was Samantha’s mother’s diagnosis of dementia. It affected me more than I anticipated, and Jimenez does not avoid the challenges of dealing with a loved one afflicted by the disease.

This novel delves into heavy subjectsand honors the mundane moments of life, love, and family. I felt I was living with Samantha, riding the ups and downs of her life. Xavier and Samantha’s love is set on commitment—not only during those intimate moments, but also during the time they are apart.

Say You’ll Remember Me is a true, tear-jerking romance with Jimenez’s signature sense of humor. It’s raw, real, and unforgettable. I can’t recommend it enough!

Starting this book, I’ll have to admit I felt a bit apprehensive, would it live up to Abby Jimenez’s other works I’ve adored? But my worries were quickly laid to rest. As the story progressed, it clicked beautifully, and I found my footing in what became another unforgettable tale from this talented author. Abby has an incredible way of writing stories that feel deeply personal yet universally relatable, and this one is no exception.

The challenges faced by both Samantha and Xavier are rooted in real-life situations, and Abby approaches these themes with such grace and sensitivity. Without giving away too much, their journeys are both compelling and heartfelt, making it easy to root for them not only as individuals but as a pair. And while the book addresses serious topics, it doesn’t shy away from the humor and heart Abby is known for. The love story is as uplifting as it is tender, filled with moments of growth, sacrifice, and connections that truly resonate.

As for the audiobook, it’s a wonderful way to experience this story. The narration captures the emotional depth and nuances of the characters, enhancing the experience of their journey. It’s the perfect companion for such a beautifully multilayered narrative. Narrators Christina Lakin and Matt Lanter do a wonderful job with these characters.

By the end of the story I had plenty of “awwww” and “so sweet” that solidified another amazing AJ book!

This story started out great and I was excited, pure humor and entertainment were happening. I loved Xavier and Samantha meeting. Xavier is all kinds of grumpy and sexy and Samantha is outgoing and fun. Then there is a semi-twist at the beginning and everything changed.

This did not feel like a romantic comedy to me. While fun things did happen and I loved those scenes, they felt few and far between. After the twist in the beginning, I didn’t feel like there was a good balance between the heavy and the light. I felt so much anticipation for Xavier and Samantha to connect, and unfortunately, that moment was a letdown, and I never felt their connection. It just felt like so much telling and not showing, and some things felt forced. There was so much internal dialogue…. so much! About how they're meant to be, how they'll make it work, but how can it work? Different scenarios would play out, and then it would repeat in a different way, making it drag. Xavier and Samantha experienced a lot of unfortunate situations, one after the other at times, and it felt like overkill. I was literally asking myself how much tragedy can befall a couple. It felt depressing at times.

When I say depressing, I'm not talking about Samantha’s mother and what was going on there. That was sad and I felt for her family, I loved how they rallied around the mom. That being said, sometimes this felt like her family's story with a side of romance happening. Everyone had stuff they were dealing with because of the mom, and they had issues with each other about it. Xavier had his own struggles he was dealing with and his past drama felt like a footnote.

I finished because I wanted to know the outcome but overall, I was disappointed.

Once again Abby Jimenez delivers a story that not only entertains but also leaves a lasting impression on my heart and soul. Her books keep getting better and better. Say You’ll Remember Me has become an instant favorite. This story is a captivating blend of heartfelt romance and emotional depth that showcases Abby’s exceptional storytelling prowess.

This is a devastatingly beautiful romance between Xavier and Samatha. Whose first meeting doesn't go so well and ends with Samantha calling Xavier out for being an asshole, which he totally was. Samantha is a spirited marketing manager, who made me laugh so hard. And Xavier is my new book boyfriend. I fell HARD for Xavier the charming veterinarian who prefers animals over humans (except when it comes to Samantha). Who sacrifices so much in the name of love. Who is a natural caretaker despite his abusive past. Xavier who looks like Rhysand. He’s my PERFECT MAN and I swear I have never been so jealous of a FMC than I was of Samantha #VILF. The evolving relationship between Xavier and Samantha is both swoon-worthy and relatable. It captures the complexities of love amidst life's unpredictabilities, and while it’s far from a perfect, it's filled with so much humor, growth, and undeniable chemistry.

The thing Abby does so well is being able to balance lighthearted moments and romance with profound themes, delving into family dynamics and personal challenges that add layers of authenticity to the story. There are some stories and characters that are more relatable than others, and this really hit close to home for me. Samantha's dedication to her family, and her decision to move back home to help take care of her mother who has early-onset dementia, is portrayed with so much sensitivity and realism. I wanted to devour this book in one sitting, but kept needing to take breaks because of how emotional it was making me. You know how sometimes you just need a good cry to make you feel better, well that's this book (and I cried A LOT while reading this). This destroyed me in the best way and I'm calling it now, this is my #1 book of 2025. I kind of feel sorry for all the other books I’ll read in 2025, because they’ll be gray and Say You’ll Remember Me is color in a gray world.

Side bar: This is a true romance and NOT just smut. I salute Abby for making this a closed door romance and I found it made the story even richer.

✨The Highlights✨

. Vet 🦮

. Grumpy x Sunshine ☀️

. Dementia Rep 💚

. Long Distance ✈️

. He Falls First

. Summer Vibes 🎡

. Dual POV



✨The Feels✨

Abby has done it again! One minute I’m laughing so hard I nearly choke on my water, and the next, I’m getting teary-eyed. This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster, tackling so many important topics that are close to my heart. I absolutely adored both main characters, and what made it even better was how I saw pieces of myself in each of them—always a favorite feeling of mine.



Oh, and ACOTAR fans, rejoice 👏🏻 —because we’ve got a full-blown Rhysand Doppelgänger here (minus the bat wings, unfortunately). There’s just something about a grumpy, brooding male lead who saves all his soft smiles for the heroine that always gets me!



This story takes place in the same universe as Part of Your World, Yours Truly, and Just for the Summer, but it can absolutely be read as a standalone. If you enjoy romance with deeper themes, you’ll love this one—as well as any of Abby’s other books!



✨The Spoiler-Free Details✨

Samantha brings her kitten to the vet, only to find that he’s both irresistibly attractive and unbearably grumpy. Their first encounter is a disaster, but he later recovers. After an unforgettable night together, Samantha drops a bombshell—she’s moving across the country in the morning & begs Xavier to forget her.

I ordered Nadia Cakes cupcakes and will share my review to Instagram when they arrive!

I loveeee Abby’s books and I was fully going into this book expecting it to be 5 stars and one of my favourite reads of the year. And for the first 50% I loved it, I ignored many of its flaws and I was swooning over Xavier and how obsessed he was with Samantha. It was an Abby Jimenez classic; witty, emotional, romantic. The mutual pining was so good and I loved every moment that they got to spend time together, I couldn't put the book down and it was just so easy to keep reading. However, I couldn’t ignore its flaws in the last half and ultimately, I was disappointed by this book. Perhaps that is my fault for hyping it up so much, but usually I’m never let down by Abby.

This was a fast burn romance. Normally, that isn’t something I like but I didn’t mind it here at first. Xavier and Samantha’s love story was so sweet, I loved how they couldn’t forget each other (a metaphor for her mothers dementia). I loved how they were the definition of “when you know, you know.” However, once Xavier and Samantha realized that they were literally soulmates, it started getting depressing and a little cringe-worthy at times. I felt like in every chapter, there was a new blow to how their relationship was going to work or how difficult their lives were. The distance, the money, the family drama. There wasn’t really a moment where they could just be happy. When there was, the pop culture (or mustard) references took over every conversation. Usually, I can handle that, and I’m used to it in Abby’s books, but this got to be a bit too much. They had the “would you still love me if I were a worm?” conversation, they talked about TikTok challenges, named a dog Jake from State Farm, and at one point, in his POV, Xavier thought, “she looks at me like she looks at mustard, and I'm going to work so hard to deserve that” unironically. Like that was supposed to be sweet or something? It was weird. The mustard obsession was a bit overboard. At one point, the relationship was completely sucking the life out of both of them, especially Xavier, who was working so much just to see her, and it felt like she wasn’t working for the relationship in the same way. However, I know her circumstances were very different so I can let that slide a bit.

I would classify this book as half romance and half emotional/family drama. I appreciated how much I learned about dementia, and I cannot judge any of Samantha’s family’s actions for the way they dealt with their mother's/wife's illness. Therefore, I understand why they were reluctant to put her in a care home, but I just felt like it would have been better for everyone if she was, especially near the end of the book when her condition took such a detrimental toll on everyone in the family.

So, yeah. I had a love/hate relationship with this book. There’s lots to love, but it was also my least favourite Abby book by far. The cringe and over-the-top depressing and bad luck moments are what I didn’t enjoy. The characters were (mostly) lovable, and they were in emotionally difficult situations—which could be heavy at times. There were still lighter moments that made me laugh and sweet moments, too. I loved the themes of memories and family love throughout the book. It reminded me to make more memories with my loved ones because that's all you have at the end of the day.

Tropes:
🐈Meet cute
🎡Fast burn
🐈Long distance
🎡Family drama
🐈Cute animals!
🎡“When you know, you know”
🐈Soulmates
🎡Boy obsessed
🐈Mutual pining
🎡Closed door
🐈Caretaking

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Forever, and Abby Jimenez for the ARC! Can’t wait for more from Abby (I’m still her absolute biggest fan, I promise lol)

@thelovelibraryy on Instagram for more edits and reviews!

Abby is a favorite author of mine. I truly love her work, but sometimes a book doesn’t hit and I gues ms that was this one for me. I felt disconnected from the characters and wasn’t entirely sold on their progression. I can handle insta love, and I think the first date was super cute and I did see their chemistry, but something was lacking for me and I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe the chemistry needed more slow burn, or maybe it’s a me problem. I think I had a hard time with the dementia portion because of personal reasons/but I think Abby handled it really well and I can tell she did her research. Abby will forever hold a piece of my heart in her stories, but i have to give this book a three stars.

Abby Jiminez has turned herself into an auto buy author. She does a phenomenal job with making you feel all of the emotions. She paints a beautiful picture of everyday life while simultaneously writing characters that you fall in love with. Her stories suck you in from the very beginning. And I love the cameos that other characters or animals make. She does an amazing job of making these stories feel like memories lived with friends. Like watching great love stories with your own eyes. Samantha and Xavier are so stinking cute! And I’m glad to know that they were willing to put in the work for one another. I love you Abby! I want you to write my story!

Say you’ll remember me starts off strong and I knew I’d really enjoy it.
The banter was amazing
Samantha was hilarious
Xavier was so serious
Grumpy sunshine trope for sure
Samatha was experiencing the struggles with a parent having dementia. It really gave a glance into what it would be like and could feel how tough it really was day to day.
Abby Jimenez does a good job at putting in humor even if it may be a sad situation
The book had some good plot twists for a romance that I wasn’t expecting.

Even though this was insta love, Abby Jimenez does a great job of building up the connection between the characters so it didn’t feel near as cringy

Such a cute story!! I really fell in love with Xavier and Samantha and everyone involved. There were a couple of weird lines that i eye rolled at but overall this was such a great way to show love between two people.

I will always love Abby Jimenez and her cutesy Minnesota love stories (even though this book is also set in California, it's still a Minnesota book, okay?). I found Say You'll Remember Me to be a bit slower and I was less invested in the story than her other books. It just felt like there were so many obstacles for this couple and I just wanted them to be okay, and in some instances it seemed like it might be a better choice for them to break up. I didn't dislike the book, I actually found the first chunk very entertaining and easy to breeze through, but almost 70% of this book was just hard to get through because life was so hard for the characters to get through.