1/5 stars

Let me preface this by saying Abby Jimenez was previously one of my favourite authors EVER, and I was ECSTATIC to get an eArc...MONTHS ago...but this book literally made me quit goodreads and stop posting on booktube for MONTHS because I disliked it that much. I don't know if this was ghost written, HEAVILY supplemented with AI due to publishing crunch or what, but if I have to believe this was Abby Jimenez, then all hope is lost. Bad bad BAD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgXY3neoN90&t=34s

This was a sad miss for me. The romance was not compelling at all, I felt that there was no chemistry between these too. There also was so much sadness.

I think this book needed to marketed as a literary fiction and take out the 'romance'.

8/10 ⭐

Abby has the incredible ability to write romance books that hook you in well and also keep you interested the entire time!

Her writing is easy and enjoyable to read while also depicting realistic and heart breaking stories.

This one is definitely more on the heart breaking side 😢 but while we watched Samantha face her biggest challenges we also watched her fall in love with Xavier and receive the support she needed during that time.

I loved Xavier, he was quite literally the perfect book boyfriend. Samantha was also a great fmc. She was strong and funny and relatable and I was rooting for her the whole time.

I do agree this story felt more fiction than romance, I did still love it and enjoyed the heart breaking ride I went on.

Abby will always be an auto-buy author for me and I have yet to be disappointed by her work!

Say You'll Remember Me was my first read by Abby Jimenez, and it gave me angst for most of the book. It's one perfect date (kind of), insta-love, followed by a long-distance relationship that is doomed from the start. Samantha has to move back to California to help look after her mother, who has early dementia, and Xavier has just set up a veterinary practice in Minnesota and is in debt up to his eyeballs.

What follows are the trials and tribulations of Samantha and Xavier trying to be together with no spare time or money.

I appreciated seeing the impacts of dementia on the whole family. I liked the relationship Samantha had with her family and how they (mostly) supported each other. Xavier had a different upbringing, and it was good to see how this shaped who he was. It was also great that he had really good friends and colleagues.

I enjoyed the relationship between Samantha and Xavier—but felt things could have worked better with more communication. I spent the whole book trying to imagine how their relationship could work.

Overall, I found it a quick, enjoyable read.

From the moment Pooter the kitten needed help getting a butthole I was hooked. Abby Jimenez writes scenes that are laugh‑out‑loud funny yet still manage to pull at your heartstrings. And honestly what hit me hardest was that quirky meet‑cute, with Pooter as the unlikely cupid and match maker, it’s wonderfully absurd and completely charming.

Xavier, that grumpy‑vet‑with‑a‑heart thing, grows on you fast. But the real emotional knockout is Samantha’s family situation. Her mom’s early‑onset dementia is portrayed with brutal honesty, she says “I’ll still witness your life, you may forget me, but I remember you” and that line stopped me in my tracks. Abby doesn’t shy away from the pain, she leans into it. You feel the grind of caregiving, the frustration, the love, the exhaustion, and it’s all so real.

This isn’t a popcorn rom‑com. It’s a romance that asks: can love stretch across 2,000 miles, draining plane tickets, financial strain, family crises, and emotional burnout? Spoiler alert: the chemistry is undeniable, the characters are deeply flawed and fiercely lovable, and yes, I rooted for them through every plank‑of‑wood‑on‑the‑heart moment.

Abby balances humor, messy reality, moments that will have you giggling mid‑cry, and yes, long flights and canceled visit plans that make you question your sanity. But she pulls it all together into something hopeful and unforgettable. this book sends you on an emotional rollercoaster but you’d ride it again in a heartbeat.

I’ll be blunt: this book softened me. It made me laugh, sob, and then stand up a bit straighter at how much humans can carry, for love, for family, for connection. It’s messy and brave and, at times, a little exhausting, but exactly like real life.

I don’t know how many times I can say this, but I absolutely love an Abby Jimenez book.

What stood out most to me was the relationship between Xavier and Samantha. They’re simply perfect together. I adored the weird, messy, complicated, and sweet moments that shape the beginning of their relationship and hold them together right through to the end. Abby Jimenez’s books are always full of tenderness, and this one is no exception. Her ability to move you from chaotic, laugh-out-loud moments to somber scenes that bring tears to your eyes is impeccable.

But what really made this book special for me was its emotional depth, especially the way it explores family and grief. Samantha’s mum is battling dementia, which uproots her life and forces her into devastating circumstances. Having experienced dementia in my own family, I may be a bit biased, but I found this to be a raw and thoughtful portrayal of what this disease can do to a family. It was heartbreaking to watch the characters go through it, but also heartwarming to see Xavier help them navigate such a difficult time.

There are so many beautiful speeches and one-liners that had me kicking my feet. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series, which I believe is called The Night We Met.

🌟4/5
🌶️2/5

🐾 Contemporary Romance
🐾 Romance, \\ Drama \\ Long Distance
🐾 Veterinarian MMC (which is a total win)
🐾 Grumpy x Sunshine but with Insta-Attraction
🐾 Longing, angst, emotional // have to stay apart due to family responsibilities
🐾 Family trauma
🐾 Dual POV
🐾 Minimal steam//spice :(

Jimenez has a way with complications that feel real, rooted in reality, and visceral; I'm talking the way the emotional highs and lows, the family drama, it all feels so real, and so plausable/ possible, like it could happen to any one of us. Because life does have it's way of ruining things when they're just starting good and it's really about the strength, the resilience of each individual, how they manage those lows, and what they keep with them or what remains in one's life beyond 'the lows' that makes up our stories in the end. I think Jimenez does a good job of doing that in each of her stories.

Funny moments were funny, cute moments were cute, and sad moments were heart-wrenching. It was a great read overall, an emotionally complicated one with a tapistery of familial drama and a romance that endured.

Oh boy. Abby Jimenez completist here. I read HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST in 2021 and it was love at first sight. I went on to read everything Abby’s ever published. Some were hits & others were good. All had the elements of Abby’s storytelling that I adore. Unfortunately, SAY YOU’LL REMEMBER ME is my least favourite of her books. This story just wasn’t for me.

Abby writes great meet-cutes and this romance got off to a quirky start. The escape room scene really worked, but sadly the rest of this story lacked the sparkle and fun I appreciate in Abby’s books (Fun briefly returned with a viral video, but that storyline didn’t go anywhere?) .

Our romantic pair, Xavier and Samantha, are separated for much of the story. Separated and miserable. Everyone is so miserable. The side characters too (who are also very unkind to each other at times). As the reader, it was also hard not feeling miserable while reading this.

Because the characters were apart for so much of the book, the reader spends a lot of time inside their heads. And the inner monologues? More misery.

Time after time obstacles were thrown in the pairing’s way. It got a little repetitive, a little exhausting and a lot frustrating. By the time a plumbing mishap causes a flight to be missed, I was thinking, “Oh, come on! Can we give this pair a break?”

Ultimately, I just couldn’t believe that such a strong bond really existed between Xavier and Samantha. There was no time for chemistry & no build up to any romantic intimacy or big feelings before misery began befalling them. Their devotion to each other seemed unjustified and the more perilous it became, the more I wondered why on earth they were persisting with their tenuous relationship.

If you loved this book, great! I’m so glad you connected with it! I wish I had too.

this started so well, i loved the first date and that samantha and xavier spent the entire day together! loved the quirky mini golf and escape room date and them getting stuck, it created a great meet cute between our two mc’s but that’s really where the good vibes of my review end.
unfortunately the remainder of the book felt repetitive and quite frankly depressing. i understand the situation with samantha’s family is something that real people have to navigate in their lives when a loved one becomes diagnosed with a mental disease like dementia, however it took over the entire book and really brought down the mood of the story.
the romance also felt very insta love to me, that level of connection can’t be built in one date that two people are sooo miserable without spending time together, especially after not talking for 8 weeks between two visits.
abby’s books have generally been a hit or miss for me, and so far i think i’m sitting evenly between books i loved and ones i didnt.
thank you for the e-arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book broke my heart. Jiminez has such a talent for writing real life situations that feel so visceral while interweaving romance into the story so wonderfully.

Abby Jimenez is an instant-buy author for me, i have loved her incredible books for many years, but unfortunately this one just didn't do it for me.
a bit of grumpy vs sunshine in the beginning which was so fun and whitty and then i feel like in the first few chapters they jumped straight into being in love right away.
I still love Abbys writing, and the story was capturing, so i'll give it a good 3.75 stars!

** Since its publication date and selling it in store, we have sold over 15 copies (which is great for us!)

Thanks Netgalley for this arc! Just a delay in the review ❤️

We follow Xavier and Samantha two people who meet and have an instant attraction, but sadly it's just not quite the right time with Samantha moving away. The attraction is so intense they have to try and continue to see each other against all odds.

I did find this just didn't captivate me like I hoped, I wanted more desire and longing but it wasn't quite there. I felt a lack of chemistry between characters.

There are other little story lines playing out which I actually found more intriguing than the couple.
Plus did love that Xavier was a vet and we got to see many furry friends!

The ending was sweet, I'll be honest did tear up slightly. If you're after a romance that's literally romance without much drama, this is for you.

Say You’ll Remember Me is another emotional triumph from Abby Jimenez—equal parts romance, family drama, and heartache. This one leans more into the 'emotional contemporary fiction' side of her writing, but that didn’t make it any less impactful. It’s beautifully told and full of those signature Abby moments: a dream book boyfriend, a flawed but relatable heroine, witty banter, and a family dynamic that will absolutely wreck you in the best way. I laughed, I cried, and I kept turning pages even when I wasn’t ready for what came next.

What really stayed with me, though, is how true to life this book felt. Jimenez doesn’t sugarcoat the hard stuff—grief, illness, burnout, long-distance love, trauma—and she doesn’t resolve it all neatly either, which I appreciated. She writes with so much honesty and emotional clarity that I felt like I knew these characters. Samantha’s grief and guilt over her mother’s illness, the tension in her family, and the emotional labour she shoulders all felt incredibly raw and real. And Xavier—sweet, dependable, carrying his own wounds—might be one of her best love interests yet. Their connection was undeniable, but it never felt easy, and that’s what made it so powerful.

The big, messy themes—dementia, caretaking, emotional trauma, complicated families—are explored with tenderness but also a clear-eyed honesty. It’s a story that doesn’t shy away from how hard life can be, and in doing that, it becomes deeply human. I found myself reflecting a lot while reading, and feeling genuinely moved by how much heart is packed into this story. This book made me feel so much for these two characters and their love story, and I loved it all the more for that.

The banter between them was spot-on. Abby’s writing made me laugh, swoon, and ache right alongside the characters. It struck a perfect balance—emotional but never overdone.

What stood out most to me was the endurance of their love. Both characters go through a lot, and it resonated deeply with my own experiences. Life can be messy and hard, but their support for each other was beautiful and believable.

I also appreciated the realistic portrayal of long-distance love. Having gone through that myself, I know how challenging it can be—not out of resentment, but out of missing someone so much. This story captured that struggle and the devotion it takes to make it work.

An absolutely stunning romance. I loved it.
Abby is by far my favourite romance author, her writing style draws you right in. I couldn't put it down.

Say You'll Remember Me was a beautifully written, heart-wrenching love story full of romance, emotion, humour, and some sad moments, too. At times, it was tough to read, especially the dementia storyline involving Samantha's mother.

I loved Samantha and Xavier. They had great chemistry. I enjoyed reading about their blossoming romance and admired how much work went into keeping it going, including the many sacrifices they both had to make.

As always with an Abby Jimenez book, this was a superb read. She really knows how to give her characters emotional depth. I've enjoyed all of her previous books, and I can't wait to see what Abby comes up with next.

5 well deserved stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley, Hachette Australia & New Zealand, and Abby Jimenez for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An emotional read! It was my first Abby Jimenez book and I love her writing style! Found some of the references to current reading culture and modern day phrases to be super interesting and gave me a good giggle

Say You'll Remember Me is my first Abby Jimenez book and I really enjoyed it.

Romance isn't my automatic first choice of genre but this book had a balance of romance, well developed characters with substance intertwined with family and friends.

I enjoyed that Xavier had a lot of positive characteristics and wasn't an awful person, it really bothers me when the male protagonist plays the 'treat em mean, keep em keen' trope.

Say You'll Remember Me is the perfect novel to read when you are on the beach or tucked up under a blanket and after something light hearted, easy to read and will leave you will all the happy feels.

I read a couple of early reviews for this one that said this is different to the author’s usual work. I can’t speak to that as it’s the first of her books I’ve read, but I always wonder why something different is an issue. I mean, if it’s the same then there would be people complaining about that right?

Anyway, live wore Samantha meets non-smiling veterinarian Xavier at his clinic, during a consult about a cat with no bum hole. Probably not a meet cute, but definitely memorable. They meet again and take a chance on a date, the night before Samantha is leaving town to move across the country to help care for her mother who has dementia.

What follows is they’re navigating a whole lot of life stuff from day 1 of their relationship. It’s heavy, sad, emotionally draining whilst tinged with the briefest moments of sunshine, that for the reader makes you yearn for that next little glimpse.

As a romance it’s angsty, and quite tender - more fade to black and left to the reader’s imagination but it’s no less powerful because of who these two are, and their stories that brought them together. Samantha and Xavier each have a lot on their plates, and I kept wondering how it was going to work.

This was a heart wrenching book but absolutely worth the investment.

CW - character with a parent living with dementia, character who experiences abuse as a child, parental alienation, animals at risk (rescued),

This book was beautiful once it got its groove. Say You’ll Remember Me is the next book after Just For The summer. It doesn’t quite match it but it does pull at the heart strings a bit with a parental figure with dementia.

Both main characters are likeable and the story is also very cute.

Here are my unfiltered, thoughts while reading this: be warned, if you haven’t read this, they will make no sense.

♥️

Not insta love but insta attraction. Insta like which I’m all for. It’s not in a ew way, more like a ‘hmm, maybe I want this’ kind of way. (Says the commitment phobe).

Not me smiling at the train station rn. I’m not even going to pretend that I’m not smiling at my kindle.

Yo. I love this book. *cries in childhood trauma*

Cool. It’s only chapter 9 and I’m crying on the train and I got a new mascara that’s NOT waterproof.

HAHAHAHAH WTF. IM CRYING.

RELATIONSHIP GOOOOAAALLLSSS.

UM MISS ABBY JIMENEZ?!?!

HANK.

Haha can’t see through my tears. Lololol

OKAY, yes. 5 stars. I’m going to go eat a chocolate lava cake and cry some more.