I wish I loved this one. Unfortunately this just didn’t hit as well as I thought it would for me.
The writing felt pretty clunky from the beginning which kept me from being wrapped in the story. I pushed through and gave it the benefit of the doubt, because this is AJ and she can write such beautiful stories with multi layered characters you fall hard for. But our MCs felt flat and single layered. That layer being Trauma with a capital T.
I love characters with traumatic pasts and storylines, I root for them the most. But it was like I couldn’t catch a breath with the trauma piling these two were dealing with. Don’t even get me started on how this is immediately an insta love long distance relationship and the MMC does everything to run himself in the ground for her and the deepest this got was them being like “I like you”, some bedroom activities, and then countless trauma dumps. Oh and so many pop culture references. The only reason we really know what the MMC looks like is because it’s brought up 3 separate times in 2 chapters that he looks like Rhysand.
Now will this be a winner for big time AJ fans or just fan of a heart wrenching romance, sure thing. But please go into it knowing it’s a lot of deep triggers, so read the authors note!

Thank you for the reader copy

When I tell ya’ll that I was laying in bed crying my eyes out to this book, ya’ll gotta take it seriously! This was my first Abby Jimenez book and it won’t be my last. This book touches on how challenging a long distance relationship can be, not only for the relationship but for the indivuals in the relationship. Throw in a severe illness like dementia and severe parental issues and you have probably one of the most challenging relationships out there. This is what Samantha and Xavier have to deal with throughout this story and there were many instances you can tell there were so many points where they wanted to throw in the towel. I was literally crossing my fingers and toes for a happy ending. I don’t think I have ever rooted for a couple as much as these two.

Well I was worried about crying on a plane when I started this book but the few tears I did have came the next morning in the coffee shop.

As always Abby delivered more than just a romance or rom com story. There was grief and family dynamics and illness, alongside inside jokes, mustard puns and songs that get stuck in your head even if you are just reading the lyrics.

Xavier and Samantha have an unforgettable first date at the worst possible time for both of them. But they want to try and make it work, because giving up so soon isn’t an option for either of them. The obstacles these two have to overcome are realistic but also endless. I just wanted them to catch a break!

But the underlying message of wanting to be a witness to someone else’s life was absolutely beautiful. It is what we all hope for in any relationship be it love, friendship or even with family. There really isn’t a greater gift.

“That there is nothing more beautiful than being a witness to someone’s life. To know them inside and out and be with them through everything, share the same memories. Memories are everything. I want that.”

Thank you Forever Publishing for the early copy

He worked every single day, pulled double shifts, just to see her once every two months! Xavier is officially at the top of my list next to Jacob. I swear, Abby writes the perfect men—because no real man would ever do what Xavier did.

This book is for anyone who thinks long distance is impossible. Xavier and Samantha proved that when true love is involved, nothing is impossible. And of course, Abby didn’t hold back on the heartbreak. But what I really loved was how this book wasn’t just about their love story. It also tackled tough topics—abusive parents and how their trauma lingers, even long after escaping, and the emotional toll of caring for a sick parent.

Xavier and Samantha were so good together from the very first second they met. He’s the kindest person you could ever imagine, and she’s so talented with an incredible personality. I wasn’t completely on board with the insta-love at first, but honestly? The way their story unfolded made it work. They were just meant to be.

And seriously, I still can’t believe everything Xavier did just to be with her. These men may be fictional, but they are my fictional men!

This story was so much fun! I love her how easy this read was but still has so much emotion and growth. One thing I’ve been loving about her books is that they are low on spice and it’s easy to skip. And the stories are so swoony!

The chapters are listed on the photo. Please look at the triggers before going into this one.

Please remember that this was the ARC things could have change as it printed. I try to be as accurate with my spice rating as possible but only to the extent I can control. 💛

Language is strong.

TY to Net Galley for the ARC. You always know that you're in for more than just romance in a A.J. book and that's one of the many things I love about her books. The two MCs are amazing and their romance is delectable. The extended cast and their stories enrich and add depth and character to the book as only Abby can. Watch for the Nadia Cakes references. They're fun!

Say You’ll Remember Me arc review in honor of PUB DAY!

“Love is the greatest color in a gray world” 🌎 ❤️
“There is nothing more beautiful than being a witness to someone’s life”

I’m so incredibly lucky to have received access to the e-arc of Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez!
As someone who has had many happy life events surrounding “Come on Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners, this book is very special to me :) This book was an IMMEDIATE 5 stars for me and I think I’ve found a new book bf to add to my list of favs!! Wow! This book was so incredibly beautiful, heart wrenching, and full of so much love along with the contrasting heartbreak that follows the blessing of having so many happy and loving memories in your life! This book made me feel nostalgic for things that haven’t happened yet and all the joy to come in the future both within the mundane parts of life as well as all the exciting things that will eventually happen!
Xavier and Samantha’s characters were beautifully written and upon immediately starting this book, they felt like old friends you’d known forever. This book was easy to start and immediately jump into and be absorbed by- as a mood reader, this is especially appreciated because I feel like there wasn’t too much “set up” time before getting into the story which I always love!
This is a book I feel that I will see on shelves in bookstores and feel the need to pick up and hug because it provided me with so many warm and fuzzy feelings- and all the sweet baby animal sidekicks always have a special place in my heart!
The cruel reality of illness and family, along with the joys found along the way, and doing all you can for those you love was beautifully portrayed in this novel! I feel so privileged to have been granted access to this e-arc and am tempted to say this is my fav book I’ve read by Abby Jimenez so far… so excited that Xavier and Samantha’s story is out in the world today, and that you can all read of the beautiful bits of color granted to each other in a world full of gray! I hope you love this book as much as I did, and I’m hoping to add this to my list of in need of a reread asap 🤍

What a heartwarming and emotional story!

I loved Xavier and Samantha’s chemistry, and their banter kept me engaged. Some scenes were adorable and felt like classic abby jimenez. I really appreciate romance novels that tackle real-life struggles, and this one definitely included heavier and sadder topics. We know Abby is great at balancing humor and emotional depth. However, I would have loved to see the emotional moments explored more deeply instead of circling back to the same issues—some of it felt a little repetitive to me. Also, with this book, it felt very much like insta love — we just knew that the characters were “made for each other”. I would have loved more moments that showed why they were perfect for each other (though I get that the long distance aspect made that tricky).

The acotar and rhysand references were a little cringey to me, but not the end of the world!

That being said, Abby’s writing is still very engaging and I found this one so easy to read and fast. the ending was truly heartwarming and definitely made me shed a few tears. 🥹

Thank you to @readforeverpub & @netgalley for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

4/5 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Abby Jimenez for sending me an ARC of Say You’ll Remember Me in exchange for my honest review.

Abby, are you paying for everyone’s therapy after this one? Just casually crying on a Tuesday morning. No big deal. This is a romance book, but it is more sad than horny…as life often is, tbh. There are still lots of funny moments, but Abby Jimenez does an amazing job of infusing intense moments of raw emotional damage into something lighthearted and fun.

The struggles within the family dynamics were handled well, and I think accurately showcase what would happen and how people might react in these really difficult situations. The pacing does start to feel a bit…bogged down? I do think that’s purposeful. It’s meant to make you feel the same way the characters feel, but I felt like the ending felt a bit rushed after that. Also, I read for escapism and the heaviness of everything just started to get to be a bit much.




Content warnings: animal abuse, animal cruelty, animal neglect, animal death (off page, past), cheating (side character), child abuse (physical and emotional—past, recounted), death of a loved one (off page), dementia (detailed description of life and daily care)

Another smash hit from Abby Jimenez. I did have a bit of trouble with the mother storyline as it hit a little too close to home for me personally. But overall, I thought that it was handled with care.

4.5 rounded up to a 5

I Loved this story of overcoming odds and demonstrating great love and care for the people most important in your life. The story is filled with love and heartbreak. Heartbreaking and beautiful reflection of all types of love.

Say You’ll Remember Me was an engaging read that I flew through in just two sittings. Abby Jimenez knows how to craft a compelling story with characters that feel real, and this one was no exception. The romance was heartfelt, the emotional moments hit just right, and I was fully invested from start to finish. My only gripe—like with all her books—is that sometimes the humor feels a bit forced. But even with that, it was an entertaining and enjoyable read that kept me hooked the whole way through!

as a non-romance reader, abby jimenez is consistently the only romance author that does the trick for me. her love stories are not only motivated by love, but by personal growth and reflection, and her characters take on full-personalities and lives. this novel follows the abby jimenez tradition of being beautiful but also gut wrenching and complex. thank you for the arc!

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez 🩵
Standalone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adult • Romance
ARC Review
368 pages
🗓️ April 1st

🩵love

📍”Some things are worth remembering, Samantha. No matter how much they hurt.”

📍”We were a bonded pair, separated by cages two thousand miles apart.”

📍“Love is the brightest color in a gray world.”

You read it correctly. It’s not a typo. I didn’t forget to list the others. This book has one trope: love. And love can be incredibly sad. A sadness that you feel down to your bones. And love can be incredibly bright. The brightest light in an otherwise dull or dark life.

With my sincere apologies and the uttermost respect: dammit Abby Jimenez!!!! This was all too much, all the time, all over me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

You said, “say you’ll remember me” but how could I ever forget?

Not all love stories are romances. Not all romances are timeless love stories. This is both. This is all. This is everything.

Thank you Abby Jimenez, @netgalley and @readforeverpub for this ARC.

Xavier & Samantha... oh my heart. This one is a five star for me.

First, thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this one as an ARC!

These two are the definiton of soulmates and I will be thinking of them for a long long long time. As an advid lover of Abby Jimenez, I knew this one would be good... but nothing could prepare me for the masterpiece that this book truly was. I cried, laughed, and fell in love over and over again.

📖 𝙎𝙖𝙮 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙡𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙈𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝘼𝙗𝙗𝙮 𝙅𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙯

“𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥.”

I don’t know what Abby puts into her books, but this one contained pure literary magic. I spent as much time laughing as I did crying while reading it. 🥹

Right off the bat, we have our two leads who have a less than stellar meet cute. Even though they get off to a rocky start, their first date was literally the stuff of dreams. It was EPICALLY cute. I felt like I was there with them having a great time. The chemistry and connection was on a cosmic level.

This isn’t your typical love story because it’s definitely not the only focus. Xavier is slowly dealing with his traumatic upbringing and Samantha is trying to live through the changes her family is experiencing. Even with everything they have going on, their moments together are seriously so special!

“𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐’𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.“

Their relationship gets thrown for several different loops during the course of the story, but at no point is their love for each other questionable.

“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.”

The story deals heavily in everything that goes into caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. Prepare your hearts and grab your tissues because the book is going to rock you but just know that by the last paragraph, I had full body chills from how perfect the ending was!

If you are a fan of sweet and emotional reads, go add this story to your TBR!

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
☀️ 𝘎𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘺 𝘹 𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦
🐈 𝘝𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘹 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳
✨ 𝘖𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘈𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵
🥹 𝘌𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴
🫶🏼 𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘗𝘢𝘴𝘵
❤️‍🩹 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘈𝘴 𝘈 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳

i really enjoyed this book. i know that’s a bit of a controversial take and i was kind of nervous going in because i love abby books and so many mutuals didn’t like this one but i had such a good time. i will start off by addressing some of these things:

-i didn’t mind the rhysand references. i thought it was kind of funny and also just made it clear that xavier was extremely hot. it was supposed to be intentional that so many people mentioned it
-i didn’t have an issue the insta-love element. in fact, i thought that it kind of made sense to have a relief element in a book full of so much trauma. obviously it’s not super realistic but it was romantic and sweet.

onto the rest:
i love xavier rush. that is all you need to know. he is a top 5 book boyfriend for me now and that is an INSANE statement for me to make. i don’t know if i’ve ever read about a man so intentional and thoughtful and emotionally intelligent and caring and kind. yes, perhaps those characteristics were somewhat taken advantage of, but i think it was powerful to see a man with such endearing and important qualities.

samantha was a good character. she had a lot going on that was extremely complex to manage. she was a young woman having a hard time with all the difficult cards she’d been dealt and i get that. i do understand the perspectives of people saying she should have enforced a breakup with xavier to prevent suffering, but i sort of think there would have been more suffering for both characters if they had broken up and it would have eliminated what little joy they got to experience.

these two characters loved each other so much. they were willing to walk to the ends of the earth and back and sacrifice everything for their moments together because their love was so deep. i admire that very much. a lot of work went into the happy ending that they got and i felt like it was well deserved.

this book covers some very heavy topics. samantha’s mom’s struggle with dementia was horribly sad and definitely hard to read about. the discussion of watching someone die internally while being stuck in their body was so painful, but it was real. like with other abby books, this was a reminder to me to really be thankful for the blessings of having two healthy, loving parents and a little sister who are my world. things can change so quickly, and some people never experience that all. to have my family is a gift.

this was a wonderful book (in my opinion). thank you so much forever for the ARC!

Say You’ll Remember Me 💌
•
“the best moments don’t have to be big to be forever”
•
Happy release day to this wonderful book that made me cry every tear left in my body😭
Abby did it again, she created another masterpiece in which it is easy to get lost in, it is easy to relate to the characters and that is impossible to put down.
Abby’s books are always the perfect mixture of comic moments, romantic moments and deeper themes that are always addressed in the best way. Tears were shed (many tears, in every chapter).
•
I loved Xavier and Samantha with all my heart. Two real and vivid characters designed to be together but divided by thousands of miles and complicated - but real and common - familiar and work situations. I loved every single meeting of theirs, all the effort they put into making the long-distance relationship work and I cried with them every single time things didn’t go as planned.
And I must admit that after this book I also think I need a hot vet in my life 😅
•
Thank you with all my heart to Netgalley and Forever (grand central publishing) for providing me with this e-ARC! 💌
Say You’ll Remember Me is coming out everywhere today. Don’t miss it!!!

This book made me laugh, cry and reflect on the importance of enjoying life. It helped me with the journey that we are all on. I absolutely loved it.

Thank you @readforeverpub for the gifted ARC!


🩷 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 🩷
This was my first Abby Jimenez read! And it didn’t let me down, I binged it over the weekend! There was a lot of thought put into this story and I think it has a little something for everyone!

First off, there’s a dementia rep, and while I don’t have first hand knowledge of it, I thought Abby incorporated it into the story very beautifully. This storyline might have been my favorite because there are so many intricate things going on with Samantha’s family in this story, all centered around her mother’s care. Some were sad, and some were funny, which is life together because you need funny moments to get through really sad ones.

I loved Xavier! His background was so sad, yet he is such a sweet guy to Samantha, and determined to overcome any obstacle. I think the differences between how Xavier was raised, with his parents, and how Samantha was raised in a very loving home were interesting.

I think there were so many heartfelt moments and descriptions in this story it’s hard to narrow down! I think the parallel between Samantha trying to make Xavier forget about her, and her going to take care of her mom who doesn’t remember her, was well done. It was all just well thought out!

So I need to go back and read all of Abby’s books now!

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🩷 Long Distance Relationship
🩵 Dementia Rep
💛 Complicated Family Dynamics
🧡 Adorable Animals