Abby can do no wrong! She is perfect at blending heart-wrenching real-life scenarios with a swoon-worthy romance. This book was no different! Was scared to read because of my own family experience with dementia but actually found the story quite healing.

Thank you NetGalley & ReadForeverPub for this ARC!

I’m always left speechless at how amazing Abby’s writing is, at this point, I shouldn’t be surprised but I always am.

Say You’ll Remember Me is another masterpiece.
I laughed so much. I cried the last 15% of the book.
And most importantly, I finished this book feeling so so thankful. Abby’s books always make me reflect on life. It always teaches me important lessons and encourage me to see life through a different light.

Sam & Xavier’s love story was a thought one.
So many obstacles but so much love.

Life is hard but when you have your person things are easier!

After Yours Truly this is my favorite book by Abby!

I cannot wait for this book to be out in the world so everyone gets to experience reading this love story!

4.25⭐️

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book. I love Abby Jimenez’s books and I definitely fangirled when I saw that I was approved for this. All opinions here are my own.

This was a classic Abby romance, I loved it! I think maybe this is the most heartbreaking of all the books I’ve read by her, there were a few times I had to pause and collect myself because of just sad things. Sad things/situations, but stories that needed to be and deserved to be told nonetheless. Is this my favorite in the series? Probably not as there is STEEP competition and stories I resonated with more (such as Yours Truly/Just For the Summer). I did enjoy both Xavier and Samantha’s relationship and having two people truly love each other/who are perfect for each other do anything to make a relationship work. I was rooting for them so hard and hoping a miracle would happen but I think the ending was perfect.

Definitely recommend for all the romance readers/Abby fans!

Frikin Abby Jimenez just has a way of making me SOB! And honestly, I love her for it.
In the beginning, I wasn’t sure where this was going. I normally don’t like insta love but THIS DID IT FOR ME!
Everything came full circle, and I was scared this book was going to end in a tragic way. While there were sad parts, it still had a happy ending.
With tons of extremely touching moments throughout.
YES YES YES!

My only criticism that made me rate this book a 3 star rating is because of the real world references. While I personally wasn’t a fan of the ACOTAR references, I can see how they may appeal to a certain audience. However, I do feel that referencing a specific work could limit the book's timelessness, as future readers may not be familiar with those references. It also seemed to me that the writing was trying a bit too hard to relate to a younger demographic, rather than focusing on telling a compelling story and letting the readers connect with it naturally. Overall, it didn’t have that timeless quality I look for in a romance book.

This one is a bit different from typical romance stories, which I think both helps and hurts it. The two immediately fall for each other and aren't shy about sharing that. There's no "will they, won't they", no climax where they break up or finally get together. It's a bit refreshing to read about such mature, loving people. But there's also a lot of heaviness to the story that feels a little incongruous with the love story, especially early on. It's certainly not a light-hearted read.

"because life wouldn't be worth living if I didn't remember you."

dr. xavier rush has entered the chat as my new favorite Abby Jimenez man. his soft yet protective demeanor had been the saving grace when it felt as if he and samantha were never going to be happy. and samantha, please wrap a blanket around her and hug because she deserves it so much.

sometimes, you meet "the one", and it turns out, they plan to move halfway across the country & you are left with memories of your perfect night together, even if it means being locked inside an escape room. abby jimenez has a knacked for balancing such heavy topics (please check the TW for this book) and romance to the point where this book feels like a lesson & an escape at the same time. while I mourned for the people I wanted samantha and xavier to be, had it been a different timeline, I cheered for their ending and was extremely happy to see them...happy.

thank you netgalley, forever publishing, and baby jimenez for this arc!

This book was a masterpiece. 5 perfect stars.

Okay, listen. I love all of Abby Jimenez's books. All of them. But I'm a sentimental gal, so I don't know if anything can top my first read of hers (The Happy Ever After Playlist). But this one... this one comes close.

I literally put down all my other reads to solely focus on this one alone.

Once again, she has crafted a story where the characters feel like real people with real issues. This book made me laugh at all the crazy antics, weep at the heartbreak and loss that many people go through, and remember to take each moment with my loved ones captive.

My mind AND my heart were fully invested in this book.

The fact that she also threw in so many ACOMAF references didn't hurt either! Instantly relatable, hahaha.

Abby Jimenez is an auto-buy author for me, and she definitely didn't let me down with this book. Highly recommend, highly loved, will be buying it immediately.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me an early copy of this book!

My review is already up on Goodreads and will be posted on Instagram on Friday, March 7.

As always, Abby Jimenez writes another winner. I just love all of her books. There is always something going on that is not always happy, but her storytelling is remarkable. She writes about real life situations and life is not always rainbows and butterflies. Yes there is always a romance in there, but the way they play out if just so satisfying. I love the characters and I really love that there were lots of animals in the book. Rescuing dogs and cats makes any book even better. I would recommend this book to everyone, but I know there are sensitive subjects in it, so I realize that it isn't for everyone.

Thanks Netgalley for this advanced ebook copy of the book.

4.5 ⭐️

How do I put into words the way this book absolutely ruined me and put me back together?! 'Say You'll Remember Me' is definitely a roller coaster of emotions - it had me squealing and kicking my feet at all the swoony bits one moment and sobbing into my coffee the next. So beautifully written, my heart literally ached after finishing. Time and time again, Abby Jimenez puts me in awe of how she can hit the perfect balance of rom-com and heavy topics...she especially took care with this one, featuring advanced dementia and the stress family caregivers can undergo during home care. I especially loved Xavier...he is a top tier male lead, VILF (IYKYK), no notes. Absolutely the best at care taking and shows up 150% for those he loves. It comes as no surprise, but I also enjoyed the banter and chemistry between the two leads and the incredible character growth across the board, main and secondary characters alike.

All in all, a fantastic read that I will be recommending to literally everyone. Thank you so much for the chance to read and review an advanced copy of one of my auto-buy authors!

I usually love Abby Jimenez's books, but this one just felt a bit rushed to me. I never felt got a chance to feel invested in Xavier and Samantha as people, let alone as a couple. While I understand instant attraction as a trope, and as a real idea, it just didn't work in this scenario. It felt obsessive and co-dependent in a red-flag kind of way. I also just wan't a fan of the writing for this particular novel. I look forward to reading any future books by Abby Jimenez, but I did ultimately DNF this book about 3/4 of the way through.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book. I really appreciate Jimenez’s style of writing. I like the romantic trope but that it is shored up by bigger life trials, in this case long distance, finances, dementia, and family.
I like that this book gave my world weary brain a break but didn’t let it completely off the hook as it addresses how we balance family expectations and guilt. Although, the financial discussion between the main characters gave me some anxiety as it felt like a real life house of cards. If you want a bit of romance without completely disengaging with real life, Jimenez has you covered.

This was a delightful little rom-com with a side of depressing. Xavier and Samantha have a sweet meet-cute when a butthole-less kitten (I didn't know that was a thing either), Pooter, needs some vet attention, and wouldn't you know it, Xavier is just the sexy, brooding, Rhysand-coded, grumpy vet for the job. He sees Samantha and it is love at first sight. They have the most mind blowing, perfect, fun, and epic first date. But, uh-oh, before they can grow their insta-love, Samantha is moving to California to take care of her mom, dealing with the dramatic onset of early-dementia. And Xavier can't follow, because he just opened his own Vet clinic in Minesota and is in mountains of debt. What will they do?

The banter and comedy in this are top-tier. Xavier and Samantha are adorable. It is predictable and repetitive, yes, but it is also a very sweet story about having the privilege of being a witness to another person's life.

I enjoyed my time with these characters, and you probably will too.
3.5 stars (happy to round up).

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read the eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Xavier and Samantha find out they have massive sparks....just before Samantha has to move to CA to take care of her mom who has dementia. Grumpy vet Xavier has never met anyone like Samantha, but is tied to his new vet practice and knows he can't give it up because it'll prove his parents right about him being "nothing." Samantha knows she needs to be there for her mom (and the rest of the family), but she and Xavier pine for each other when they're apart. Are all things as immovable as they believe? Jimenez does it again with a emotional story that's more about all kinds of love than simply the romantic kind, and what it means to share a life.

5 STARS. 5 STARS. 5 STARS.

OMG. This book truly was everything. From page 1, I was hooked and genuinely could not put the book down. I love everything Abby writes and this one is no exception. The chemistry from the two main characters, Xavier and Samantha. First of all, we have a hot veterinarian with a guarded exterior but Samantha breaks through his walls almost immediately and comes waltzing into his life unexpectedly. From the very first moment they saw each other, it was kismet. Sparks flying. Instant connection.

I was extremely drawn to Samantha's character and her compassion for others. It was extremely moving and relatable. I loved how deeply she cared for her family and animals as well as her willingness to speak her mind and fight. She made the perfect pair for Xavier and really brought him out of his shell.

This book made me laugh out loud but also sob my eyes out. Do with that what you will.

I wish I could read this one again for the first time. I will be recommending this to anyone who will listen.

Content Warnings:
- In depth descriptions of someone with dementia
- Mentions of abuse (both physical & emotional)
- Mentions of animal abuse (such as neglect, cruelty, etc.)

Thank you so much Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for this e-ARC.

🩵 What’s it about?
Imagine meeting your soulmate and having the most epic date ever, only to find out that she is moving across the country the next day to take care of their mother who has dementia. And you can’t follow her because you’ve opened up a vet clinic and sunk tons of money into it. Thus, the epic love story is born.

🩷 My thoughts:
I am a huge Abby Jimenez fan and read everything she writes, so I feel it’s important to say up front that this book is not like other Abby books. It veers more into women’s fiction than romcom.

It was still a great book that covers many difficult life topics. I won’t list them all here because it will spoil the story, but any romance built over a 2,000 mile physical separation is going to hurt.

I loved that this one had some key, humorous Abby scenes–the kind that made me laugh out loud. And I adored our MMC and all the animals that appeared in this story. But mostly this one is full of heartache and yearning. It was a tough read from that standpoint. There was a lot of sadness (seriously, the list is a mile long), so be prepared to have your heart ripped out. But there is also redemption.

Most of the time I read Jimenez’s books and I feel so much! Joy and sadness and all the chemistry/banter of the romance. This doesn’t have much chemistry or banter. I rarely laughed and my overall feeling was that life just isn’t fair. Xavier is wonderful. Samantha is kind of fun but doesn’t seem that special. The mustard jokes weren’t really that funny and I’m never excited about a MC that has an influencer career—I know it’s technically marketing but I’m just not a fan. There’s also a paragraph early in the book where Samantha thinks Xavier is grumpy and has no reason to be because he’s a white man and has privilege. Straight white men are the most hated thing in America right now and we learn that Xavier has plenty to be grumpy about and is not privileged. I’m disappointed in Jimenez for feeling the need to add woke commentary that has nothing to do with the book. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

This is angsty AF, covers heavy topics, and features two people who are way more decent than me. I loved it.

Fair warning: There’s a quick misdirect on the first page that will send you into Zone 2 cardio with panic. And page two will keep you tachycardic because, whoops, now you’re in love with the MMC.

Xander owns and operates a vet clinic to spite his abusive parents. He doesn’t smile much because he is too busy being the most altruistic person in Minnesota. It is mentioned several times that he resembles Rhysand. Except he’s white and Rhysand is not, I think? Doesn’t matter, Xander is tall and hot, but doesn’t know it (about the hotness; he is height-aware).

Samantha has been recently imprinted upon by a stray kitten (meet-cute check). She is planning to move back to California in order to help take care of her mother, who has early-onset dementia. She is a social media manager for an indie mustard brand. We’re told she’s good at her job.

Xander asks Samantha on a date without preamble. Because he is the best. Samantha agrees because she does not realize they are soulmates (not literally). They have a very cute, very eventful first date and she proceeds to move to California the following morning.

They are both, needless to say, very bummed.

Geographic distance and limited funds is the only thing keeping them apart. They both have very good reasons for staying in their respective locations. Well, Samantha’s reasons would not be as concrete if she was just a little less loyal and dependable and family-oriented. But leaving her mother and family never crosses her mind, which may or may not be relatable to readers.

The lack of interpersonal conflict is refreshing in a sea of “I can’t love because I’ve never been loved”s and “I can’t have nice things”s. Instead of wasting time trying to convince himself his childhood rendered him incapable of love, Xander works himself to the bone so he can afford plane tickets to LAX. His exhaustion fairly lists off the page by the end, as does his utter devotion to Samantha.

Sam’s mom, her dementia, and the associated caretaking by her family features heavily and it is…tough. Emotionally and heartbreakingly tough. Her family’s commitment to caring for her at home while maintaining her quality of life and dignity is beyond commendable. And, if you’re like me, will get you wondering if you, too, could spend your youth living with your entire family while watching the mother you knew disappear. (No comment.)

Also, I’m a dummy. Cause at 61% I was like “huh, they sure talk about making memories and keeping memories a lot”. Then I remembered what the premise of the book was. And looked at the title. So, um, there’s a strong running theme that may or may not be subtle. And it may or may not have been 10pm when I started reading this.

The main reason I couldn’t put this down was because I couldn’t foresee a resolution (besides the obvious) that would have our main characters living in the same city by the end.

But, I am happy to report, our author got us there. With a smidgen of deus ex M̶i̶n̶n̶e̶s̶o̶t̶a̶ machina, sure. But I think y’all will be satisfied. I sure was.

thank you to forever (grand central publishing) and netgalley for this eARC!

holy shit. this book was so good. i now, unfortunately for my bank account, have to read all of abby jimenez’s book i think. she is an excellent writer.

this book is exactly the kind of romance novel i like. less of a “here’s this conflict and we have to figure out how to solve it” and more of a slice of life, where the characters are dealing with hard situations in realistic ways.

i can’t even explain how wonderful jimenez captured the emotions of this novel. i fell in love with the characters. their reactions were real, sometimes irrational because that’s how people are, they cared so deeply about each other and all chose each other over and over despite the unimaginably difficult circumstances they found themselves in. i laughed, i smiled, and i sobbed harder than i think i’ve ever cried because of a book before. the “big reveal” moment absolutely got me; i didn’t see it coming and it literally broke me. it was perfect.

the plot was wonderfully executed. there were never any moments i was frustrated with the characters; they were doing their best to live through a tough time and i was simply reading it. jimenez brought these characters to life so beautifully and i am genuinely happy for their ending because i feel like i went through the trenches with them.

if you need a solvable conflict in the books you read, this one might not be for you, but i’d urge you to try anyway because this book is so wonderfully written and portrays an incredibly emotional, compelling story. i think everyone should read this book. i can’t wait to recommend this to literally everyone i see when it comes out. READ IT!!

Wow, this has the signature Jimenez emotional gut punch (-es) we've all come to expect but this one hit a little different for me. Whether it was the reality of also being of an age where my parents are getting older and the health struggles -- physical and mental -- that come with that reality staring me right in the face or the heavy dose of sweet, and also heartbreaking, animal content.. or both.

Suffice it to say, you've been warned. But I mean most people who will be picking this up should also know what to prepare for by now.

Mixed in with complicated family dynamics as a result of the pressures, stress, and heartbreak of an ailing parent that a family is trying to manage, is also a somewhat heartbreaking, stressful, and pressure-inducing long-distance relationship. Samantha and Xavier go out for a date the night before she's to move across the country, the former never expecting she would meet her person at such an inconvenient juncture. As a social media manager she can work anywhere but her mother's health necessitates her to be in California. Whereas Xavier, as a vet with a new practice, has to stay in Minnesota. Much longing and financial shenanigans ensue in order to keep the connection going but props to the author she never takes the easy way out when it comes to conflict. Maintaining the relationship is enough of one; as is Samantha's family's struggles and Xavier's own family dynamic which.. man, prepare yourself for some righteous rage and vindictive feelings to be channeled in that direction. Grr.

So often I find myself enjoying one half of a couple more than the other, or liking them only in the build-up to the relationship, but in this case both of these characters felt grounded and accessible and their connection is immediate and fun and touching. They both wanted time together; in the literal sense but also for the purpose of building something out of the memories. Something that was important to both of them for different reasons. They were such opposites in mannerism and behaviour but their core values aligned and it was beautiful to read about.

I will say that around the.. 55-70% mark I was losing a bit of steam. The nature of their circumstances meant that the events within the plot were somewhat repetitive and cyclical but, despite this weaker part of the story, it didn't really impact my feelings overall -- just my attention span.

There were so many beautifully introspective moments in this story, both in writing and dialogue and feeling, and yet there was still that signature wit and hilarity to keep things lively when the heartbreak or crushing reality these characters were struggling with got too real.

For all that realness, though, there was also a sense of close-ness in this story; as in, for all that a lot was happening within the characters, I didn't really get a sense of things outside of these moments they were together. Because the moments they were apart were, again, a little same-y, and always just time passing until they were together again. So things do feel a little.. tunnel vision-y. It's hard to describe. But maybe that was intentional? Again, it certainly didn't change my feelings as I read, but just something I kind of sat with after the fact.

Overall, I think this will absolutely hit with fans of this author and if this is your first go with her, I think it's a great one to start with, too. SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME is an emotional, fun, sweet, heartbreaking, and all synonyms along those spectrums, journey and I don't think you'll regret your time with this book one bit.