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Say You'll Remember Me #1
Say You'll Remember Me
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.
. . . 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.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2025
21745 people are currently reading
403148 people want to read
About the author
Abby Jimenez
20 books87.2k followersAbby Jimenez is a Food Network winner, #1 New York Times best selling author of Just for the Summer, and recipient of the 2022 Minnesota Book Award for her novel Life's Too Short. Her book Yours Truly was the first romance novel in the history of Book of the Month to win the coveted Dolly Award for Book of the Year. Abby founded Nadia Cakes out of her home kitchen back in 2007. The bakery has since gone on to win numerous Food Network competitions and, like her books, has amassed an international following.
Abby loves a good romance, coffee, doglets, and not leaving the house.
Abby loves a good romance, coffee, doglets, and not leaving the house.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55,882 reviews
April 13, 2025
2.75!
Abby Jimenez is one of those authors who can just sweep me away by just her writing style, but 'Say You'll Remember Me' fell short in so many ways. I would be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy it, because there were times and scenes that I enjoyed—but all of them were before the 50% mark, when I was actually invested in the story, rooting for the characters, and enjoying it. But as the story moved forward, the erratic decisions, the constant conflicts thrown, and the decisions made and supported in this book pissed the fuck out of me. I can praise Abby's writing to an extent because even that had some problems to some extent, but it was captivating. It did keep me hooked, but the constant TikTok language put me off so much—and the Rhysand mentions!!! At first, I didn’t really mind that much, but there came a time when they got too much, like wayyy too much, and that bothered me so much. It’s very annoying to read a book by an author you love, and you wait a whole agonizing year for their new book, and it ends up like this!
Xavier, I liked Xavier quite a lot. He was a vet, he loved animalsss, he was very thoughtful, caring, and basically the whole package—but umm the patheticness was taken up to another notch because while I found the willingness in him to do anything for Samantha cute at the start... it quickly changed into being embarrassing. Because I would not be willing to leave everything for someone I barely know. But besides that, I liked his grumpy nature and some of the scenes here in the book, and the interactions between the characters in them were very well done. Like the whole escape room scene was very cute.
Samantha, I really tried to like her, but Abby just does not know how to write female characters, because with the exception of Emma from JFTS, most of her FMCs always do something that is just so unbearable, and honestly, I just could not be invested in Samantha’s character. I appreciated the struggles that were depicted, and also the storyline about her mother suffering from dementia also hit very hard—and I could relate to it because of my grandfather. But the way the whole situation was handled made me so mad.
The romance—it was insta lust, but honestly, I did not mind that part because the chemistry between them felt so natural and so good to read. Reading about their interactions and the scenes that they shared together were so fun to read. Honestly, those were my favorite parts of the book because their interactions just felt so easy, and I really thought the romance moving forward would be good. But the long distance, though realistic, made it so frustrating. It took away so much of the screen time off the romance, and like most of it was dedicated to Samantha struggling with her life—and tbh, I don’t mind that when there’s a good balance or when I don’t feel the romance missing. Honestly, this book was so messy because the insta lust made their interactions by the first half feel like everything that could have happened, happened. But then so many conflicts were thrown that the fun romance just lost all its charm.
The thing that pissed me off the most was the DAD. The way he was cheating on the mom, and the way it was normalized by him and his children?? And he wasn't even guilty?? And the fact that when Tristan (the son) got mad, the sister stopped talking to him?? And the whole grandma drama didn't really hit me because I was so disconnected from the book. And also the way the dad said that he wanted to put the mother in a nursing home because he couldn't take care of her alone?? All of this was so frustrating to read because first of all, you're still married AND seeing other women and fucking them is still CHEATING, and it is wrong. And the way Abby tried to normalize it was very disappointing. And to say that he could not take care of her alone while the children were there to help as well!! And tbh, I saw my grandmother take care of my grandfather, and it got very, very hard for her sometimes to do that, but never once did she recommend something like putting him in a nursing home. I guess at the end of the day, it just matters how much you love your spouse to be willing to do so much for them. And the worst part was the mom never wanted to go to the nursing home. It was honestly what dropped my rating to a two
___
Dropping everything to start my second most anticipated book of the year 🙏🏻 I just know I'll love it 🤸🏻 ( aged like milk)
___
I'll read her grocery list at this point 🙂↕️
-Abby jimenez is yet to disappoint me so high hopes 😋
Abby Jimenez is one of those authors who can just sweep me away by just her writing style, but 'Say You'll Remember Me' fell short in so many ways. I would be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy it, because there were times and scenes that I enjoyed—but all of them were before the 50% mark, when I was actually invested in the story, rooting for the characters, and enjoying it. But as the story moved forward, the erratic decisions, the constant conflicts thrown, and the decisions made and supported in this book pissed the fuck out of me. I can praise Abby's writing to an extent because even that had some problems to some extent, but it was captivating. It did keep me hooked, but the constant TikTok language put me off so much—and the Rhysand mentions!!! At first, I didn’t really mind that much, but there came a time when they got too much, like wayyy too much, and that bothered me so much. It’s very annoying to read a book by an author you love, and you wait a whole agonizing year for their new book, and it ends up like this!
Xavier, I liked Xavier quite a lot. He was a vet, he loved animalsss, he was very thoughtful, caring, and basically the whole package—but umm the patheticness was taken up to another notch because while I found the willingness in him to do anything for Samantha cute at the start... it quickly changed into being embarrassing. Because I would not be willing to leave everything for someone I barely know. But besides that, I liked his grumpy nature and some of the scenes here in the book, and the interactions between the characters in them were very well done. Like the whole escape room scene was very cute.
Samantha, I really tried to like her, but Abby just does not know how to write female characters, because with the exception of Emma from JFTS, most of her FMCs always do something that is just so unbearable, and honestly, I just could not be invested in Samantha’s character. I appreciated the struggles that were depicted, and also the storyline about her mother suffering from dementia also hit very hard—and I could relate to it because of my grandfather. But the way the whole situation was handled made me so mad.
The romance—it was insta lust, but honestly, I did not mind that part because the chemistry between them felt so natural and so good to read. Reading about their interactions and the scenes that they shared together were so fun to read. Honestly, those were my favorite parts of the book because their interactions just felt so easy, and I really thought the romance moving forward would be good. But the long distance, though realistic, made it so frustrating. It took away so much of the screen time off the romance, and like most of it was dedicated to Samantha struggling with her life—and tbh, I don’t mind that when there’s a good balance or when I don’t feel the romance missing. Honestly, this book was so messy because the insta lust made their interactions by the first half feel like everything that could have happened, happened. But then so many conflicts were thrown that the fun romance just lost all its charm.
The thing that pissed me off the most was the DAD. The way he was cheating on the mom, and the way it was normalized by him and his children?? And he wasn't even guilty?? And the fact that when Tristan (the son) got mad, the sister stopped talking to him?? And the whole grandma drama didn't really hit me because I was so disconnected from the book. And also the way the dad said that he wanted to put the mother in a nursing home because he couldn't take care of her alone?? All of this was so frustrating to read because first of all, you're still married AND seeing other women and fucking them is still CHEATING, and it is wrong. And the way Abby tried to normalize it was very disappointing. And to say that he could not take care of her alone while the children were there to help as well!! And tbh, I saw my grandmother take care of my grandfather, and it got very, very hard for her sometimes to do that, but never once did she recommend something like putting him in a nursing home. I guess at the end of the day, it just matters how much you love your spouse to be willing to do so much for them. And the worst part was the mom never wanted to go to the nursing home. It was honestly what dropped my rating to a two
___
Dropping everything to start my second most anticipated book of the year 🙏🏻 I just know I'll love it 🤸🏻 ( aged like milk)
___
I'll read her grocery list at this point 🙂↕️
-Abby jimenez is yet to disappoint me so high hopes 😋
May 19, 2025
… here we go. 2.5 stars.
Say You’ll Remember Me was, ironically, not very memorable.
what to expect:
⁍ a lot of family drama + trauma (family member with dementia, estranged parents, siblings feuding, cheating, etc.)
⁍ long distance relationship
⁍ grumpy x sunshine
⁍ insta love (!!!)
⁍ MMC is a veterinarian
⁍ California / Minnesota settings
⁍ no explicit spice
what i liked:
⁍ he loves animals
⁍ it was under 400 pages
⁍ MMC is a natural caretaker
⁍ banter + humor (until i got tired of mustard jokes)
yeah, that’s about it
what i didn’t enjoy:
⁍ swallowing of the earbud
⁍ more than one Rhysand comparison needed to be edited out
⁍ an abundance of ‘contemplative gazes’
⁍ um… the dad’s behavior??? absolutely not.🙂↔️
⁍ multi-week and month jumps between chapters (and between our main characters seeing each other)
⁍ literally everyone was miserable for 95% of this book and it was exhausting
⁍ 2020s lingo: lit, mid, hits different, left you on read, be so freaking for real right now, etc.
⁍ i simply couldn’t relate to anyone in this book
⁍ repetitive internal monologues
⁍ i felt like Abby was trying *too* hard to add depth to this book by constantly creating new obstacles, problems, and drama
⁍ not enough build up for the romance + lack of chemistry
i can see why people would love this but it just wasn’t memorable, satisfying, or even *FUN* for me.
◤──•~❉᯽❉~•──◥
book club read!
read with us here ♡
◣──•~❉᯽❉~•──◢
Say You’ll Remember Me was, ironically, not very memorable.
what to expect:
⁍ a lot of family drama + trauma (family member with dementia, estranged parents, siblings feuding, cheating, etc.)
⁍ long distance relationship
⁍ grumpy x sunshine
⁍ insta love (!!!)
⁍ MMC is a veterinarian
⁍ California / Minnesota settings
⁍ no explicit spice
what i liked:
⁍ he loves animals
⁍ it was under 400 pages
⁍ MMC is a natural caretaker
⁍ banter + humor (until i got tired of mustard jokes)
yeah, that’s about it
what i didn’t enjoy:
⁍ swallowing of the earbud
⁍ more than one Rhysand comparison needed to be edited out
⁍ an abundance of ‘contemplative gazes’
⁍ um… the dad’s behavior??? absolutely not.🙂↔️
⁍ multi-week and month jumps between chapters (and between our main characters seeing each other)
⁍ literally everyone was miserable for 95% of this book and it was exhausting
⁍ 2020s lingo: lit, mid, hits different, left you on read, be so freaking for real right now, etc.
⁍ i simply couldn’t relate to anyone in this book
⁍ repetitive internal monologues
⁍ i felt like Abby was trying *too* hard to add depth to this book by constantly creating new obstacles, problems, and drama
⁍ not enough build up for the romance + lack of chemistry
i can see why people would love this but it just wasn’t memorable, satisfying, or even *FUN* for me.
◤──•~❉᯽❉~•──◥
book club read!
read with us here ♡
◣──•~❉᯽❉~•──◢
May 1, 2025
3.75 stars! I really enjoyed this book although its not my fav Abby Jiminez book. Full review coming in a youtube video soon! A few thoughts for now...
1. I LOVED the two main characters. I especially loved that our male love interest is a man of actions. I love words of affirmation but I particularly love acts of service/actions that show love in a book boyfriend.
2. I love that there's so much happening outside of the romance too. Lots of family issues, etc. and I surprisingly really enjoyed having lots of subplots outside of the romance.
3. I'm not fully sure why but the long distance set up just wasn't my favorite. I still lenjoyed it, but like I said I've just loved other Abby Jimenez conflicts more. I also felt a little meh on the ending.
1. I LOVED the two main characters. I especially loved that our male love interest is a man of actions. I love words of affirmation but I particularly love acts of service/actions that show love in a book boyfriend.
2. I love that there's so much happening outside of the romance too. Lots of family issues, etc. and I surprisingly really enjoyed having lots of subplots outside of the romance.
3. I'm not fully sure why but the long distance set up just wasn't my favorite. I still lenjoyed it, but like I said I've just loved other Abby Jimenez conflicts more. I also felt a little meh on the ending.
Read
December 25, 2024Trigger/content warnings:
While my books are all romcoms, there’s still some themes in this story that may be triggering for some readers. If you feel trigger warnings are spoilers and you don’t need them, please skip the next paragraph.
****CONTENT WARNINGS BELOW****
This book contains detailed descriptions of someone with advanced dementia. There's mention of a cheating spouse of a side character, mention of past child abuse both physical and emotional. Mention of animal abuse, cruelty, and neglect. There's a scene where a dog is in peril (the dog doesn't die. The dog will NEVER die.) Sudden unexpected death of an on page side character.
While my books are all romcoms, there’s still some themes in this story that may be triggering for some readers. If you feel trigger warnings are spoilers and you don’t need them, please skip the next paragraph.
****CONTENT WARNINGS BELOW****
This book contains detailed descriptions of someone with advanced dementia. There's mention of a cheating spouse of a side character, mention of past child abuse both physical and emotional. Mention of animal abuse, cruelty, and neglect. There's a scene where a dog is in peril (the dog doesn't die. The dog will NEVER die.) Sudden unexpected death of an on page side character.
April 11, 2025
Lots of humor & silly moments, but mixed nicely with the more vulnerable and emotional ones. Not my favorite tropes (insta love + grumpy x sunshine), but I think Abby Jiminez did them justice & I enjoyed seeing how these characters fought to keep the relationship going through everything (literally they could not catch a break). I also really liked how Xavier stepped up and took care of everyone around him
Definitely makes you leave wanting to cherish every memory you make (the small ones especially)!
Definitely makes you leave wanting to cherish every memory you make (the small ones especially)!
November 21, 2024
Every time I finish a book by Abby I think it can never get better than this… and then it does. Say You’ll Remember Me might be my new favorite by her. I laughed out loud and also sobbed. The characters and setting are so relatable, I hope everyone reads this one. I will recommend this book until the end of time.
April 3, 2025
the easiest five star i’ve ever given.
“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.”
“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.”
April 3, 2025
4.5 ⭐️I ATE THIS UP AND LEFT NOTHING BEHIND. The ending was cute but also a bit rushed, I kidna wish to have seen more after all the bs we were put through. Xavier was 10/10 book boyfriend material.
July 23, 2024
(I work for the publisher.) I read the entire manuscript in two days because I couldn’t put it down. Abby is simply wonderful, and this new novel is another perfect reason as to why we all adore her here at Hachette. I can’t wait for y’all to read it! (In the meantime, make sure to pick up her new book, Just for the Summer!)
June 20, 2025
Okay, so I really didn’t like this. Get a snack because I have a LOT to unpack!
1. TikTok Brain Rot: 💀
One of the most jarring aspects of this book is the sheer amount of TikTok language. I just cannot get behind it. I swear, downloading TikTok is the worst thing that has ever happened to Abby Jimenez’s career - because this book is FILLED with brain rot.
Let’s start with the pop culture references. I know this is a controversial aspect of books. Sometimes, they work - they make you laugh, add a little personality to a book. Other times, they make you cringe. But then there’s this, where the main character is compared to Rhysand from ACOTAR at least eight times. After eight, I lost count because I was too pissed off. A reference here and there? Fine. But this was overkill. And then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, the book is littered with TikTok phrases that read like someone copy-pasted their “Romance Tropes” Pinterest board into a manuscript.
Here are just a few direct quotes:
• “He’s so safe and protective, I can turn my brain off around him.”
• “I need him in a way that would set feminism back 100 years.”
• The would-you-still-love-me-if-I-were-a-worm trend.
• “My toxic trait is thinking I could change him.”
• “As a concept, it’s fine. If you were in a book, you’d be an alpha male.”
• “Embrace your inner Rhysand”
It’s relentless. The entire book reads like horrific millennial humour meets TikTok inside jokes taken way too far. I don’t know if all of Abby Jimenez’s books are like this, or if she just recently discovered TikTok and now cannot write without shoving it into every other paragraph. Either way, it made this book feel cheap - like a romance novel written entirely from trending phrases rather than real, lived-in emotions.
2: Family Drama:
I saw a review that said, ”I wanted romance, instead I got a whole family soap opera,” and they were right.
This book wasn’t about the couple - it was about every single family issue imaginable crammed into one exhausting storyline. And don’t get me wrong, family drama can add depth to a romance novel. But this? This was draining. It felt like watching an actual soap opera, but without the fun, over-the-top ridiculousness. Instead, it was just exhausting.
The Romance: Unearned and Unbalanced:
And finally, the romance itself - the part that’s supposed to make all of this worthwhile. Except it didn’t. This was THE most frustrating part!
They were strangers in chapter one. By chapter THREE, they were dating. This surpasses insta love. I don’t even know what to call it.
And the insta love itself is why this romance doesn’t work. Xavier keeps making massive sacrifices for Samantha - jumping into the sea to save her phone on their first date, going into debt just to see her, hospitalising himself working 80+ hours a week to pay for his flights to see her, and even playing caretaker when said expensive plans get derailed by her mother’s manic episode on their second date😭. And while I understand that he doesn’t mind doing these things, the issue is that the relationship isn’t developed enough for it to feel romantic. Instead of seeing a natural, mutual connection where both characters are investing in each other, we’re watching Xavier give everything while barely knowing her, and it makes the dynamic feel one-sided and weird. All of this happened after ONE date. And it’s not even her fault, because he doesn’t mind it! The book tries to push the idea that “it doesn’t matter what we’re doing, as long as we’re together,” or, “there’s no cost you’re not worth” but without a solid foundation, it just reads as him being financially and emotionally reckless. He was constantly exhausting himself for someone whose chaotic life is draining him without much emotional payoff.
This could have been so much better if Xavier and Samantha had any kind of meaningful history - if they were childhood friends, or if they had an intense but brief teenage relationship that ended abruptly and never got closure. That would have made his devotion feel earned, like he’s making up for lost time or acting on long-held feelings. But because this all happens after just one date, it feels less like romance and more like reckless over-investment. Instead of swooning over his dedication, I just felt bad for him. Not in a “this is so sweet” way, but in a “this man needs to STAND UP” way.
Final Thoughts:
This book had potential, but between the TikTok brain rot, the soap opera-level family drama, and a romance that felt one-sided and unearned, it was just frustrating to read. Abby Jimenez might be a popular author, but if this book is any indication, I don’t understand the hype at ALL.
1. TikTok Brain Rot: 💀
One of the most jarring aspects of this book is the sheer amount of TikTok language. I just cannot get behind it. I swear, downloading TikTok is the worst thing that has ever happened to Abby Jimenez’s career - because this book is FILLED with brain rot.
Let’s start with the pop culture references. I know this is a controversial aspect of books. Sometimes, they work - they make you laugh, add a little personality to a book. Other times, they make you cringe. But then there’s this, where the main character is compared to Rhysand from ACOTAR at least eight times. After eight, I lost count because I was too pissed off. A reference here and there? Fine. But this was overkill. And then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, the book is littered with TikTok phrases that read like someone copy-pasted their “Romance Tropes” Pinterest board into a manuscript.
Here are just a few direct quotes:
• “He’s so safe and protective, I can turn my brain off around him.”
• “I need him in a way that would set feminism back 100 years.”
• The would-you-still-love-me-if-I-were-a-worm trend.
• “My toxic trait is thinking I could change him.”
• “As a concept, it’s fine. If you were in a book, you’d be an alpha male.”
• “Embrace your inner Rhysand”
It’s relentless. The entire book reads like horrific millennial humour meets TikTok inside jokes taken way too far. I don’t know if all of Abby Jimenez’s books are like this, or if she just recently discovered TikTok and now cannot write without shoving it into every other paragraph. Either way, it made this book feel cheap - like a romance novel written entirely from trending phrases rather than real, lived-in emotions.
2: Family Drama:
I saw a review that said, ”I wanted romance, instead I got a whole family soap opera,” and they were right.
This book wasn’t about the couple - it was about every single family issue imaginable crammed into one exhausting storyline. And don’t get me wrong, family drama can add depth to a romance novel. But this? This was draining. It felt like watching an actual soap opera, but without the fun, over-the-top ridiculousness. Instead, it was just exhausting.
The Romance: Unearned and Unbalanced:
And finally, the romance itself - the part that’s supposed to make all of this worthwhile. Except it didn’t. This was THE most frustrating part!
They were strangers in chapter one. By chapter THREE, they were dating. This surpasses insta love. I don’t even know what to call it.
And the insta love itself is why this romance doesn’t work. Xavier keeps making massive sacrifices for Samantha - jumping into the sea to save her phone on their first date, going into debt just to see her, hospitalising himself working 80+ hours a week to pay for his flights to see her, and even playing caretaker when said expensive plans get derailed by her mother’s manic episode on their second date😭. And while I understand that he doesn’t mind doing these things, the issue is that the relationship isn’t developed enough for it to feel romantic. Instead of seeing a natural, mutual connection where both characters are investing in each other, we’re watching Xavier give everything while barely knowing her, and it makes the dynamic feel one-sided and weird. All of this happened after ONE date. And it’s not even her fault, because he doesn’t mind it! The book tries to push the idea that “it doesn’t matter what we’re doing, as long as we’re together,” or, “there’s no cost you’re not worth” but without a solid foundation, it just reads as him being financially and emotionally reckless. He was constantly exhausting himself for someone whose chaotic life is draining him without much emotional payoff.
This could have been so much better if Xavier and Samantha had any kind of meaningful history - if they were childhood friends, or if they had an intense but brief teenage relationship that ended abruptly and never got closure. That would have made his devotion feel earned, like he’s making up for lost time or acting on long-held feelings. But because this all happens after just one date, it feels less like romance and more like reckless over-investment. Instead of swooning over his dedication, I just felt bad for him. Not in a “this is so sweet” way, but in a “this man needs to STAND UP” way.
Final Thoughts:
This book had potential, but between the TikTok brain rot, the soap opera-level family drama, and a romance that felt one-sided and unearned, it was just frustrating to read. Abby Jimenez might be a popular author, but if this book is any indication, I don’t understand the hype at ALL.
Read
April 8, 2025nvm idk how i feel
April 15, 2025
3 Stars.
I really enjoyed some parts of the story. I thought the MMC was super sweet and cute. The FMC was a little bit of a spitfire and I found her personality pretty delightful.
The huge emphasis on the MMC looking like Rhys from ACOTAR was exhausting. Like beating a not funny joke half to death over and over.
I also feel like Abby dumbs her characters down so much to wrap everything up in a convenient bow. The obstacle standing between these two being together didn't seem that big of a deal for me and could have been easily resolved and yet their entire reason for being separated hinges on it.
It felt silly to me like most of Abby's books.(For me) Parts of it were cute, some parts cringe- overall I'm kinda indifferent about it. If you typically enjoy AJ's books it's worth the read. 💗
Meagan why's your dog on this here cover? 😅🐾💘
Almost here!! Expected Pub Date - 04/01/25
💖Enemies to Lovers
🐾Opposites Attract
💖Swoony MMC
🐾Slow Burn
💖Forced Distance
🐾Deeply Emotional
💖Second Chances
🐾Vet MMC
💖Strong Family Ties
🐾No Third Act
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
I really enjoyed some parts of the story. I thought the MMC was super sweet and cute. The FMC was a little bit of a spitfire and I found her personality pretty delightful.
The huge emphasis on the MMC looking like Rhys from ACOTAR was exhausting. Like beating a not funny joke half to death over and over.
I also feel like Abby dumbs her characters down so much to wrap everything up in a convenient bow. The obstacle standing between these two being together didn't seem that big of a deal for me and could have been easily resolved and yet their entire reason for being separated hinges on it.
It felt silly to me like most of Abby's books.(For me) Parts of it were cute, some parts cringe- overall I'm kinda indifferent about it. If you typically enjoy AJ's books it's worth the read. 💗
Meagan why's your dog on this here cover? 😅🐾💘
Almost here!! Expected Pub Date - 04/01/25
💖Enemies to Lovers
🐾Opposites Attract
💖Swoony MMC
🐾Slow Burn
💖Forced Distance
🐾Deeply Emotional
💖Second Chances
🐾Vet MMC
💖Strong Family Ties
🐾No Third Act
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
January 5, 2025
6 starsssss!!!! if you’re a very sentimental person or thinks actively about remembering …. this is gonna do a NUMBER on you… like it did on me. no notes
November 12, 2024
A UFO escape room, organic mustard, a VILF and ‘Come on, Eileen’… what more could you want from a romance story 🫶🏼
5 stars for Abby Jimenez. Every time I think she can’t outdo her last book she goes and creates something that equally pulls on my heart strings and makes me giggle so loud.
(Thank you NetGalley and little brown book group for the advance copy to read ahead of this book release!)
5 stars for Abby Jimenez. Every time I think she can’t outdo her last book she goes and creates something that equally pulls on my heart strings and makes me giggle so loud.
(Thank you NetGalley and little brown book group for the advance copy to read ahead of this book release!)
April 26, 2025
I’m a devoted fangirl of Abby Jimenez’s books—she knows exactly how to tug at heartstrings and compose a unique melody that resonates deeply. She never sugarcoats difficult, triggering topics or handles them with kid gloves, yet her tender and genuine approach always touches your heart, melting it while reminding you of the beautiful moments and cherished people in your life. Her writing is like a triple chocolate lava cake for my soul—each layer brings an even greater rush of emotion and euphoria!
This book is not just a heartfelt long-distance love story; it’s also a deeply moving family drama centered around a tight-knit household navigating a tragic, life-altering situation. The family matriarch, Lisa, is battling early-onset dementia, and while the emotional weight of this struggle sometimes overshadows the romance, the story remains powerful and thought-provoking. It’s the kind of book that feels like wrapping yourself in the softest blanket while sipping your favorite warm drink—comforting, moving, and impossible to put down.
Samantha, with her sharp sense of humor and internal conflict between logic and emotions, tries to resist falling for the grumpy, Greek-god-shaped veterinarian, Xavier. He’s a cinnamon roll of a man—arguably the best book boyfriend Jimenez has ever created—hiding behind a tough exterior shaped by years of trauma and abuse. I adored both characters, but Xavier, with his unwavering dependability and sweetness, stole my heart. He’s the kind of dream guy every woman wishes for but rarely finds in real life.
Samantha’s family is just as compelling—from her strong single-mom sister and her little boys to her artistic, straightforward brother, their sweet and caring grandmother, and their father, who’s on the verge of burnout from trying to hold everything together. And, of course, there’s Lisa, who faces one of the cruelest diseases, losing pieces of herself each day.
Samantha and Xavier’s paths cross in the most unexpected way—through a cat with no butthole in need of urgent surgery. Their first interaction is anything but a meet-cute, as Xavier accidentally says the wrong thing, but he quickly realizes his mistake and makes it up to her with a date that turns into a night neither of them will ever forget—all set to the soundtrack of Come On Eileen.
But just as sparks fly, reality crashes in. Samantha is moving to Los Angeles the next morning, and Xavier assumes that’s the end of their connection—until he realizes he can’t let her go so easily. Samantha, bound by duty to help care for her mother, can’t relocate, leaving Xavier to make the effort of flying 2,000 miles just to be with her. Can a long-distance relationship survive when Samantha is convinced it won’t work? Is love worth the risk, even when life is already overwhelming? Will they find a way to make it against all odds? You’ll have to read and find out!
Overall: This might just be my favorite Abby Jimenez book yet! If I could give it five gazillion stars, I would. I wholeheartedly recommend grabbing a copy ASAP!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with an ARC of one of the most anticipated books of the year in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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This book is not just a heartfelt long-distance love story; it’s also a deeply moving family drama centered around a tight-knit household navigating a tragic, life-altering situation. The family matriarch, Lisa, is battling early-onset dementia, and while the emotional weight of this struggle sometimes overshadows the romance, the story remains powerful and thought-provoking. It’s the kind of book that feels like wrapping yourself in the softest blanket while sipping your favorite warm drink—comforting, moving, and impossible to put down.
Samantha, with her sharp sense of humor and internal conflict between logic and emotions, tries to resist falling for the grumpy, Greek-god-shaped veterinarian, Xavier. He’s a cinnamon roll of a man—arguably the best book boyfriend Jimenez has ever created—hiding behind a tough exterior shaped by years of trauma and abuse. I adored both characters, but Xavier, with his unwavering dependability and sweetness, stole my heart. He’s the kind of dream guy every woman wishes for but rarely finds in real life.
Samantha’s family is just as compelling—from her strong single-mom sister and her little boys to her artistic, straightforward brother, their sweet and caring grandmother, and their father, who’s on the verge of burnout from trying to hold everything together. And, of course, there’s Lisa, who faces one of the cruelest diseases, losing pieces of herself each day.
Samantha and Xavier’s paths cross in the most unexpected way—through a cat with no butthole in need of urgent surgery. Their first interaction is anything but a meet-cute, as Xavier accidentally says the wrong thing, but he quickly realizes his mistake and makes it up to her with a date that turns into a night neither of them will ever forget—all set to the soundtrack of Come On Eileen.
But just as sparks fly, reality crashes in. Samantha is moving to Los Angeles the next morning, and Xavier assumes that’s the end of their connection—until he realizes he can’t let her go so easily. Samantha, bound by duty to help care for her mother, can’t relocate, leaving Xavier to make the effort of flying 2,000 miles just to be with her. Can a long-distance relationship survive when Samantha is convinced it won’t work? Is love worth the risk, even when life is already overwhelming? Will they find a way to make it against all odds? You’ll have to read and find out!
Overall: This might just be my favorite Abby Jimenez book yet! If I could give it five gazillion stars, I would. I wholeheartedly recommend grabbing a copy ASAP!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with an ARC of one of the most anticipated books of the year in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
October 14, 2025
➸ 2.75/5 stars
“He fucked off to his motherland.” that’s how Omar. fmc’s sister’s ex-husband was described. diabolic if you ask me. focus on his name for a bit. I’ve seen that the editor will cut this line off in the final script but I had an advanced copy and it was in it. despite it being removed or not, it rubs be the wrong way that the author wrote such line to being with.
Update: regarding the problematic sentence ^^^
the publisher deleted it off the final script. apparently her sister’s ex husband is not named omar now and his story line is now changed, but as I said above even if it’s deleted now it still rubs me the wrong way that she wrote it in the original script but I can give her a little respect for listening to us.
~•~•~
this was my first abby book, and to say my expectations were sky high would be an understatement. every review I’ve seen about her books is glowing, and it made me go into this with excitement and confidence. I fully expected this to be a four- or five-star read, no questions asked. now, don’t get me wrong I think the book was enjoyable to some extent. But there were certain things that held it back for me, it kept it from reaching that perfect rating range 😭
I enjoyed how fast paced the writing style was. It was ridiculously addictive. I tore through 400 pages in maybe three or four hours, which is wild. It was the kind of book that i don’t even realize I’m flying through until i look up and see I’m 70% in. but even though I appreciate an easy, engaging read, it also felt… unstable? abrupt. uneven. almost jerky. I don’t mind books that are simple and quick, but considering how highly this author is praised, I expected something with a little more finesse. maybe something along the lines of “Emily Henry’s” writing which is flowy, rich, and immersive. the prose was bad and the pacing felt like it was rushing from one scene to the next without giving moments enough weight.
— another thing that threw me off is The sheer number of modern references. I don’t know if this is just Abby’s style, but it felt like every other chapter had a pop culture mention, and after a while, the one that annoyed me the most was The mmc being described as Rhysand from ACOTAR. repeatedly like, why? I hated it even more because I hate Rhysand. some references were funny, I’ll admit like that viral video scene, but overall they were excessive. It felt like the book was trying too hard to be trendy, and that kind of thing ages fast.
this book is also insta-love, which is one of my least favorite tropes. but surprisingly, I didn’t FULLY hate it here. that being said, I do think the feelings developed too quickly even for an insta-love. they had one date, and then suddenly, when he called her while she was in Cali, they were picking up the conversation like a full blown couple with no further due. It was a little jarring. I would’ve liked to see even just a bit of a slower burn more time developing their connection before jumping into the deep end. which leads me to my biggest issue which is that the romance felt very underdeveloped…
xavier and samantha clearly love each other deeply. their bond is strong, and no matter what they went through, they never truly wavered. but because the book was so fast paced, I felt like I was rushing through the story rather than fully immersing myself in it. books has the space to dig deep, to explore the nuances of a relationship in a way that other forms of storytelling can’t and yet, I felt like this story barely scratched the surface. the moments where they overthought their relationship and their family issues took up more space than their romance, which made it hard to feel their love 😐
the book relied more on telling than showing, making the emotions feel surface level rather than deeply felt. the characters repeatedly declared how much they meant to each other, constantly insisting on their love and devotion. yet, those words didn’t translate into a connection I could truly believe in. I wanted to feel their bond and the longing, the tension, the quiet moments that speak louder than words but the book moved too quickly to make that happen. Instead of showing scenes that proved the truth of their words, the story rushed through their relationship, focusing more on other plot than on actually developing their romance. their love was described as intense and all consuming, but without the moments to back it up, it never truly came alive on the page in my opinion and it hurts!!
it felt like we were skipping over crucial moments instead of living in them. I wanted more time with them especially toward the end. there were so many moments that could have been fleshed out, but they were just skipped. and that frustrated me because they had so much potential!!
I usually love books where the mmc does way more for the fmc than she does for him. I don’t even care I just love when he loves her more, when he’s constantly doing things for her, showing up for her, going all out. and in this book, Xavier definitely does that. he’s all in for Samantha, doing all these big things. but it just didn’t land. Instead of loving it like I normally do, it felt kind of boring. they felt like strangers. It was like he was doing all these grand gestures for someone he barely knew, because the relationship moved so fast, no real connection behind it. it just felt awkward.
I enjoyed them as characters and found their relationship nice to some extent, something still felt missing.
this didn’t feel like a deeply complex relationship unfolding naturally, the characters felt like they were just there to deliver their lines. like the author gave them trauma not as a genuine part of their personality but as a plot device. I wasn’t fully connected to them in a way that made them unforgettable. they were fine. good, even but still lacked that extra depth that would’ve made them feel real to me.
and then there’s the ending… I kept hearing that it was going to be emotional, but because everything was moving at breakneck speed, I didn’t feel much of anything. I think I was supposed to be sad, but the way certain things were thrown in like the grandmother’s trauma felt forced. It was like the book was trying to add extra layers of sadness for the sake of making it feel emotional, but it didn’t really work. and Xavier’s financial struggles and the loans and business stress… Maybe it’s just because I study in tech and my brain is wired to stress over finances, but that part had me more anxious than anything else 😭 my final words will be that it was a very shaky book that had potential to be great. so go read Can’t Get Enough it did exactly what this book though was doing!!
***ARC provided by the publisher—Forever (Grand Central Publishing)—in exchange for an honest Review.***
“He fucked off to his motherland.” that’s how Omar. fmc’s sister’s ex-husband was described. diabolic if you ask me. focus on his name for a bit. I’ve seen that the editor will cut this line off in the final script but I had an advanced copy and it was in it. despite it being removed or not, it rubs be the wrong way that the author wrote such line to being with.
Update: regarding the problematic sentence ^^^
the publisher deleted it off the final script. apparently her sister’s ex husband is not named omar now and his story line is now changed, but as I said above even if it’s deleted now it still rubs me the wrong way that she wrote it in the original script but I can give her a little respect for listening to us.
~•~•~
this was my first abby book, and to say my expectations were sky high would be an understatement. every review I’ve seen about her books is glowing, and it made me go into this with excitement and confidence. I fully expected this to be a four- or five-star read, no questions asked. now, don’t get me wrong I think the book was enjoyable to some extent. But there were certain things that held it back for me, it kept it from reaching that perfect rating range 😭
I enjoyed how fast paced the writing style was. It was ridiculously addictive. I tore through 400 pages in maybe three or four hours, which is wild. It was the kind of book that i don’t even realize I’m flying through until i look up and see I’m 70% in. but even though I appreciate an easy, engaging read, it also felt… unstable? abrupt. uneven. almost jerky. I don’t mind books that are simple and quick, but considering how highly this author is praised, I expected something with a little more finesse. maybe something along the lines of “Emily Henry’s” writing which is flowy, rich, and immersive. the prose was bad and the pacing felt like it was rushing from one scene to the next without giving moments enough weight.
— another thing that threw me off is The sheer number of modern references. I don’t know if this is just Abby’s style, but it felt like every other chapter had a pop culture mention, and after a while, the one that annoyed me the most was The mmc being described as Rhysand from ACOTAR. repeatedly like, why? I hated it even more because I hate Rhysand. some references were funny, I’ll admit like that viral video scene, but overall they were excessive. It felt like the book was trying too hard to be trendy, and that kind of thing ages fast.
this book is also insta-love, which is one of my least favorite tropes. but surprisingly, I didn’t FULLY hate it here. that being said, I do think the feelings developed too quickly even for an insta-love. they had one date, and then suddenly, when he called her while she was in Cali, they were picking up the conversation like a full blown couple with no further due. It was a little jarring. I would’ve liked to see even just a bit of a slower burn more time developing their connection before jumping into the deep end. which leads me to my biggest issue which is that the romance felt very underdeveloped…
xavier and samantha clearly love each other deeply. their bond is strong, and no matter what they went through, they never truly wavered. but because the book was so fast paced, I felt like I was rushing through the story rather than fully immersing myself in it. books has the space to dig deep, to explore the nuances of a relationship in a way that other forms of storytelling can’t and yet, I felt like this story barely scratched the surface. the moments where they overthought their relationship and their family issues took up more space than their romance, which made it hard to feel their love 😐
the book relied more on telling than showing, making the emotions feel surface level rather than deeply felt. the characters repeatedly declared how much they meant to each other, constantly insisting on their love and devotion. yet, those words didn’t translate into a connection I could truly believe in. I wanted to feel their bond and the longing, the tension, the quiet moments that speak louder than words but the book moved too quickly to make that happen. Instead of showing scenes that proved the truth of their words, the story rushed through their relationship, focusing more on other plot than on actually developing their romance. their love was described as intense and all consuming, but without the moments to back it up, it never truly came alive on the page in my opinion and it hurts!!
it felt like we were skipping over crucial moments instead of living in them. I wanted more time with them especially toward the end. there were so many moments that could have been fleshed out, but they were just skipped. and that frustrated me because they had so much potential!!
I usually love books where the mmc does way more for the fmc than she does for him. I don’t even care I just love when he loves her more, when he’s constantly doing things for her, showing up for her, going all out. and in this book, Xavier definitely does that. he’s all in for Samantha, doing all these big things. but it just didn’t land. Instead of loving it like I normally do, it felt kind of boring. they felt like strangers. It was like he was doing all these grand gestures for someone he barely knew, because the relationship moved so fast, no real connection behind it. it just felt awkward.
I enjoyed them as characters and found their relationship nice to some extent, something still felt missing.
this didn’t feel like a deeply complex relationship unfolding naturally, the characters felt like they were just there to deliver their lines. like the author gave them trauma not as a genuine part of their personality but as a plot device. I wasn’t fully connected to them in a way that made them unforgettable. they were fine. good, even but still lacked that extra depth that would’ve made them feel real to me.
and then there’s the ending… I kept hearing that it was going to be emotional, but because everything was moving at breakneck speed, I didn’t feel much of anything. I think I was supposed to be sad, but the way certain things were thrown in like the grandmother’s trauma felt forced. It was like the book was trying to add extra layers of sadness for the sake of making it feel emotional, but it didn’t really work. and Xavier’s financial struggles and the loans and business stress… Maybe it’s just because I study in tech and my brain is wired to stress over finances, but that part had me more anxious than anything else 😭 my final words will be that it was a very shaky book that had potential to be great. so go read Can’t Get Enough it did exactly what this book though was doing!!
***ARC provided by the publisher—Forever (Grand Central Publishing)—in exchange for an honest Review.***
April 9, 2025
3.99 ⭐️
April 8, 2025
I’m so sorry but giving this 2 stars only for Xavier and a few quotes that were cute.
-1 star for mentioning Rhysand from ACOTAR multiple times
-1 star for being too Tiktok-y (can we abolish mentioning current trends and slang in books? please?)
-1 star for the cheating dad and the family drama
As someone who loves Abby Jimenez’s books, I’m so disappointed in this one. There were a few cute moments but I just didn’t connect with this story like I did with her other books.
The way all of my highly anticipated releases this year (with the exception of Onyx Storm) have been disappointing. 😔✋
-1 star for mentioning Rhysand from ACOTAR multiple times
-1 star for being too Tiktok-y (can we abolish mentioning current trends and slang in books? please?)
-1 star for the cheating dad and the family drama
As someone who loves Abby Jimenez’s books, I’m so disappointed in this one. There were a few cute moments but I just didn’t connect with this story like I did with her other books.
The way all of my highly anticipated releases this year (with the exception of Onyx Storm) have been disappointing. 😔✋
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2025
•Meet-cute
•Forced proximity
•Long distance relationship
•Dual point of view
•Cinnamon roll MMC
•Complicated family dynamics (x2)
"None of the fear and worry I had was because I didn’t think it would work. The fear and worry was because I knew it would. I was going to fall in love with this man."
As with each of her books that came before it, Say You'll Remember Me quickly sucked me in. Abby's books are so easy to lose yourself in & nearly impossible to put down!!
Xavier & Samantha are brought together by fate...by way of a rescued kitten lacking a butthole. Despite an initial clash of personalities and a slight lack of faith, there is definitely a spark. These two share a nearly perfect, and completely unforgettable, date...the night before Samantha is set to move back across the country. Their connection may be strong but will allllll the hurdles thrown at them be too much to overcome?
Abby's books always bring the laughs along with the tears, but this one does land on the heavier side for sure! (Check trigger warnings before you read it) Tragedy & triumph. Heart & hope. These characters and this story will be on my mind for a long time to come.
4/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️
Thank you to Forever for granting my wish for a digital ARC of Say You'll Remember Me in exchange for my honest review.
•Forced proximity
•Long distance relationship
•Dual point of view
•Cinnamon roll MMC
•Complicated family dynamics (x2)
"None of the fear and worry I had was because I didn’t think it would work. The fear and worry was because I knew it would. I was going to fall in love with this man."
As with each of her books that came before it, Say You'll Remember Me quickly sucked me in. Abby's books are so easy to lose yourself in & nearly impossible to put down!!
Xavier & Samantha are brought together by fate...by way of a rescued kitten lacking a butthole. Despite an initial clash of personalities and a slight lack of faith, there is definitely a spark. These two share a nearly perfect, and completely unforgettable, date...the night before Samantha is set to move back across the country. Their connection may be strong but will allllll the hurdles thrown at them be too much to overcome?
Abby's books always bring the laughs along with the tears, but this one does land on the heavier side for sure! (Check trigger warnings before you read it) Tragedy & triumph. Heart & hope. These characters and this story will be on my mind for a long time to come.
4/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️
Thank you to Forever for granting my wish for a digital ARC of Say You'll Remember Me in exchange for my honest review.
April 5, 2025
“But she still knew what love was.
Maybe that’s the last thing we forget. Or we never forget it at all. Not really. We lose the words to say it. We lose the ability to show it. But we never lose the ability to feel it or recognize it when we see it.Love is the brightest color in a gray world.”
I’m SOOO disappointed ✋🏻😭 the way i was super hyped and excited for this!! Like veryyy but now i feel so disappointed because what the hell was this!!! Abby what did you do? i was rotting for u 🧍♀️🧍♀️🧍♀️ such a downgrade from just for the summer 🌚
let’s start with the romance
I don’t even know if i can call this insta love because insta love at least take sometime for thing to happen but here omg everything was moving so fast i got whiplash!!Like savannah slow down please ✋🏻 they went on the first date and then everything went downhill from there!! They acted like they have been in this relationship for years while in fact they only knew each-other for like what one week?😭😭😭 they already did everything when i got to the 50% so I don’t know why i kept reading since everything already happened and he was calling her wifey by then so 😭🧍♀️ also it was going sooo fast, there was no build up no anything which made every sweet moment between them feels flat for me!! Like the cute things Xavier did instead of finding it cute i found it annoying because i didn’t understand how he loved her so fast????
her dad drama
That was a BIG NO from me ✋🏻 disgusting!!!! Idc what anyone says. Divorce your wife if u can’t handle all this and go fuck around as much as you want but you fucking around while you still married to her is a big ass no!! And omg he said that what’s between him and his wife is a true love 😭😭🤡🤡🤡 may this type of this true love never ever find me🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 And the fact that abby normalized that shit and that everyone was soo okay with it by the end and that Samantha sister got angry at Tristan and stopped talking to him because he was the only one who refused what’s going on ugh disgusting how can u do that ✋🏻✋🏻 i was soo angry like omg ewww!!
Xavier
Listen i love pathetic and down bad men like it’s so satisfying reading about them but omg here he was the type of pathetic that was annoying because like bro was giving everything to her and IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE FIRST DATE!!!!! He had personality but it vanished when Samantha showed up it was sooo embarrassing I couldn’t even ✋🏻 but that also doesn’t men that he is not hot and that his love for animals and dogss is such a turn on 😌😮💨😮💨
the ending so underwhelming and rushed 😭😭 like noo I didn’t like it ✋🏻
But overall at let’s i got to yapp and hate read it with my bestie buket 🤭🤸🏻♀️🤍 always pleasure!! The way we would wake up so early just to read some of this plsss we need compensation for the effort this book is not worth it 😭😭✋🏻✋🏻
April 5, 2025
I WANTED LOVE & GOT A FAMILY SOAP OPERA INSTEAD.
😭
Y’all. My first Abby Jimenez book & I am HUGELY disappointed. The romance?? Barely there. Instead, we get a front-row seat to messy family drama I did not sign up for.
No one is talking about this, but Sam’s dad is out here sneaking around, cheating, and planning to move on while his wife—who has dementia —is still alive. EXCUSE ME??? That is NOT love. That is Betrayal. And the worst part? The kids just... accept it. Sam’s sister is like “it is what it is,” Sam stays quiet, and Tristan yells at their dad but does absolutely NOTHING to help their mom. WTF.
I just cannot with how the book normalized this. How would YOU feel if your spouse of 30+ years started sleeping around while you were vulnerable & sick? It’s disgusting. And this book treats it like a “life is complicated” moment. Nah. It’s just wrong.
💖Now, the romance... if you can call it that. Xavier Rush is giving Greek god meets soft vet with a kitten vibes. LOVE that for us. But the love story? Fast-tracked. Insta-love on steroids. One magical night, and suddenly, we’re acting like we’ve been through ten years of longing??? Where’s the build-up? The tension? The actual relationship development?
🔹 I loved Xavier (duh, he’s perfect).
🔹 The family struggles were real and emotional, I won’t lie.
🔹 Abby’s writing? Super bingeable. You’ll fly through this.
🔹 But the romance??? Not enough. The drama overshadowed the love story.
And don’t even get me started on how many times Xavier was compared to Rhysand. WHY. STOP. It was funny the first time. After the tenth?? I wanted to throw the book.
✨ Final thoughts? ✨ If you love family drama with romance on the side, this is for you. If you’re here for the epic, all-consuming romance that Abby Jimenez is hyped for?? This one falls short. Hard.
Would I read another Abby book? Maybe. But this one?? Not it.
Y’all. My first Abby Jimenez book & I am HUGELY disappointed. The romance?? Barely there. Instead, we get a front-row seat to messy family drama I did not sign up for.
No one is talking about this, but Sam’s dad is out here sneaking around, cheating, and planning to move on while his wife—who has dementia —is still alive. EXCUSE ME??? That is NOT love. That is Betrayal. And the worst part? The kids just... accept it. Sam’s sister is like “it is what it is,” Sam stays quiet, and Tristan yells at their dad but does absolutely NOTHING to help their mom. WTF.
I just cannot with how the book normalized this. How would YOU feel if your spouse of 30+ years started sleeping around while you were vulnerable & sick? It’s disgusting. And this book treats it like a “life is complicated” moment. Nah. It’s just wrong.
💖Now, the romance... if you can call it that. Xavier Rush is giving Greek god meets soft vet with a kitten vibes. LOVE that for us. But the love story? Fast-tracked. Insta-love on steroids. One magical night, and suddenly, we’re acting like we’ve been through ten years of longing??? Where’s the build-up? The tension? The actual relationship development?
🔹 I loved Xavier (duh, he’s perfect).
🔹 The family struggles were real and emotional, I won’t lie.
🔹 Abby’s writing? Super bingeable. You’ll fly through this.
🔹 But the romance??? Not enough. The drama overshadowed the love story.
And don’t even get me started on how many times Xavier was compared to Rhysand. WHY. STOP. It was funny the first time. After the tenth?? I wanted to throw the book.
✨ Final thoughts? ✨ If you love family drama with romance on the side, this is for you. If you’re here for the epic, all-consuming romance that Abby Jimenez is hyped for?? This one falls short. Hard.
Would I read another Abby book? Maybe. But this one?? Not it.
July 30, 2025
Waiting for this book was like waiting for rain in this drought. Useless and disappointing 😞
(if you haven’t seen a cinderella story we can’t be friends soz)
(if you haven’t seen a cinderella story we can’t be friends soz)
June 23, 2025
2 ⭐️ | TikTok | IG |
I’ll start by saying I am a fan of this author’s other work and have rated all her other books above 4⭐️.
I typically find her books to have in-depth characters, well-researched & meaningful inclusion of emotional & physical traumas, great banter, and wonderful nonromantic relationships.
This lacked so many of the aspects I’ve come to love and enjoy in the author’s other work and overall was a huge letdown.
This book is for fans of insta-love, those who don’t mind an excessive amount of pop culture references and cheesy humor, and who like their happily ever afters to be grand gesture + unbelievable luck created perfection.
What I did enjoy…
● There are a handful of funny moments and while I’m not in love with the excessive dad jokes I did giggle some.
● Grandma - she is the best character imo
● The viral video and specifically the families reaction to it.
● Family dynamics and representation of early onset dementia although I will say I think the family was super irresponsible caring for the mother at the beginning of the book
● I think the book’s prose improved vastly in the last 30%
Things I did not enjoy
● Insta-love to the max
While I think it is possible for strong feelings to develop quickly in the way they did in this book, we don’t actually see much of the two MCs together or their feelings or relationship developing. It makes it very difficult to relate to or understand the relationship.
● This book is severely lacking in tension/angst/chemistry between the two characters
Aside from being told how they feel about each other we are not SHOWN any of these feelings.
● On that subject there was an exorbitant amount of TELLING and a dismal amount of SHOWING.
I knew how the MCs felt bc the author told us its how they felt, not because she showed us these feelings
● The prose in this book is the author’s choppiest yet
Look, the author isn’t know for their eloquent and lyrical writing and that is OK, I like simple basic writing most of the time. But this book? it was choppy. so choppy. the choppiest. Sentences felt stunted. the sheer number of periods. it was outrageous. too much. I couldn’t handle it.
● The two POVs were nearly indistinguishable.
I can’t count the number of times I had to double check which POV I was currently in so that I could understand who was feeling what.
the only difference between the two POVs was the name at the beginning of the chapter and the change from he/she said
● These MCs felt flat
see above, it was hard to distinguish between the two voices and that is largely because these characters had nothing but their physical appearance and past/current trauma to tell them apart.
● Personally, I found the FMC insufferable
She was rude to her family, especially her brother. Rude to the MC - excuse me but I think going on a date with someone when
● Speaking of the MC’s - I found it hard to believe they were in their late 20s and acting this way
also both of them desperately needed to be in therapy and I am so surprise that they weren’t…
● Least favorite abby book boyfriend to date
● I am ALL for trauma in my books, I joke that I prefer my romances with a side of trauma - I think (usually) it adds emotional depth and complexity to the characters, it makes them feel real and relatable. BUT….
I did not think the onslaught at the end was needed, nor do I think it added to the overall story
● Maybe its just me but that ending was just ridiculous
I like a cheesy perfect happy ending as much as the next person but this required a strong dose of delulu to believe.
Now what I call “how to alienate a group of readers while doing a really poor job at describing the physical appearance of your MMC 101”
AKA the use of ACOTAR references (5 total by my count) to describe the physical appearance of the MC
● first, I dislike very specific pop culture references within books to begin with. I think it dates a book, and also it assumes that the reader understands them. As someone that does not keep up with trends, celebrities, or pop culture this alienates me as a reader and forces me out of the story.
● secondly, even if you do not agree that SJM and ACOTAR are problematic there is a whole massive group of people that do. By including references like this in a book you are essentially telling a whole group of people their feelings and opinions are invalid. - On the other hand not including these references offends/hurts no one.
On the subject of insensitivity…
●I think the FMC using the phrase “fucked off back to his motherland” in reference to Omar is harmful at best and straight up racist at worst. UPDATE: Forever Publishing has confirmed this statement has been removed from the book and will NOT appear in the final edition. I will be leaving this here until I can confirm the content was adjusted in the final copy.
● While I’m at it I strongly dislike that the abusive and alcoholic character in the book’s career is… surprise surprise, military - this isn’t the first time I’ve been uncomfortable with Abby Jimenez’s portrayal of individuals in the military, something tells me it won’t be the last.
I am aware that occasionally changes are made from advance reader copy to final print (we all make mistakes). Rest assured I am eager to remove these critiques should the publisher and author make changes to the final copy.
Overall this certainly wasn’t a BAD book, but it was a complete let down when compared to this author’s other books. Maybe it’s not fair to rate it compared to her other books, but it’s my goodreads so I’ll do what I want. 😝
Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I’ll start by saying I am a fan of this author’s other work and have rated all her other books above 4⭐️.
I typically find her books to have in-depth characters, well-researched & meaningful inclusion of emotional & physical traumas, great banter, and wonderful nonromantic relationships.
This lacked so many of the aspects I’ve come to love and enjoy in the author’s other work and overall was a huge letdown.
This book is for fans of insta-love, those who don’t mind an excessive amount of pop culture references and cheesy humor, and who like their happily ever afters to be grand gesture + unbelievable luck created perfection.
What I did enjoy…
● There are a handful of funny moments and while I’m not in love with the excessive dad jokes I did giggle some.
● Grandma - she is the best character imo
● The viral video and specifically the families reaction to it.
● Family dynamics and representation of early onset dementia although I will say I think the family was super irresponsible caring for the mother at the beginning of the book
● I think the book’s prose improved vastly in the last 30%
Things I did not enjoy
● Insta-love to the max
While I think it is possible for strong feelings to develop quickly in the way they did in this book, we don’t actually see much of the two MCs together or their feelings or relationship developing. It makes it very difficult to relate to or understand the relationship.
● This book is severely lacking in tension/angst/chemistry between the two characters
Aside from being told how they feel about each other we are not SHOWN any of these feelings.
● On that subject there was an exorbitant amount of TELLING and a dismal amount of SHOWING.
I knew how the MCs felt bc the author told us its how they felt, not because she showed us these feelings
● The prose in this book is the author’s choppiest yet
Look, the author isn’t know for their eloquent and lyrical writing and that is OK, I like simple basic writing most of the time. But this book? it was choppy. so choppy. the choppiest. Sentences felt stunted. the sheer number of periods. it was outrageous. too much. I couldn’t handle it.
● The two POVs were nearly indistinguishable.
I can’t count the number of times I had to double check which POV I was currently in so that I could understand who was feeling what.
the only difference between the two POVs was the name at the beginning of the chapter and the change from he/she said
● These MCs felt flat
see above, it was hard to distinguish between the two voices and that is largely because these characters had nothing but their physical appearance and past/current trauma to tell them apart.
● Personally, I found the FMC insufferable
She was rude to her family, especially her brother. Rude to the MC - excuse me but I think going on a date with someone when
● Speaking of the MC’s - I found it hard to believe they were in their late 20s and acting this way
also both of them desperately needed to be in therapy and I am so surprise that they weren’t…
● Least favorite abby book boyfriend to date
● I am ALL for trauma in my books, I joke that I prefer my romances with a side of trauma - I think (usually) it adds emotional depth and complexity to the characters, it makes them feel real and relatable. BUT….
I did not think the onslaught at the end was needed, nor do I think it added to the overall story
● Maybe its just me but that ending was just ridiculous
I like a cheesy perfect happy ending as much as the next person but this required a strong dose of delulu to believe.
Now what I call “how to alienate a group of readers while doing a really poor job at describing the physical appearance of your MMC 101”
AKA the use of ACOTAR references (5 total by my count) to describe the physical appearance of the MC
● first, I dislike very specific pop culture references within books to begin with. I think it dates a book, and also it assumes that the reader understands them. As someone that does not keep up with trends, celebrities, or pop culture this alienates me as a reader and forces me out of the story.
● secondly, even if you do not agree that SJM and ACOTAR are problematic there is a whole massive group of people that do. By including references like this in a book you are essentially telling a whole group of people their feelings and opinions are invalid. - On the other hand not including these references offends/hurts no one.
On the subject of insensitivity…
●
● While I’m at it I strongly dislike that the abusive and alcoholic character in the book’s career is… surprise surprise, military - this isn’t the first time I’ve been uncomfortable with Abby Jimenez’s portrayal of individuals in the military, something tells me it won’t be the last.
I am aware that occasionally changes are made from advance reader copy to final print (we all make mistakes). Rest assured I am eager to remove these critiques should the publisher and author make changes to the final copy.
Overall this certainly wasn’t a BAD book, but it was a complete let down when compared to this author’s other books. Maybe it’s not fair to rate it compared to her other books, but it’s my goodreads so I’ll do what I want. 😝
Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
April 29, 2025
3 stars ༉‧₊˚.
”Some things are worth remembering, Samantha. No matter how much they hurt.”
₊˚⊹⋆
i’m a bit conflicted on how i feel about this. objectively, it a good book. well-written, easy to read, and many swoony moments. i never felt trapped in this book or desperate to be done. i liked it.
but this isn’t just any author. this isn’t a debut. and my expectations were much higher. so, a tip? go in with an open mind, and pretend this isn’t the same author who wrote Yours Truly. i’m not saying every single one of her books has to be some emotional masterpiece, but i do wish i could have connected with the characters more. and with the amount of individual conflicts they were facing, it actually should have been an emotional read. something was missing and i’m not sure what it was.
i so desperately want this review to look nice, with sections for each character, but to be completely honest, i don’t have much to say about them. i’d say they were both developed and xavier always said and did right thing, as every male main character should. samantha was kind and her hardships were realistic.
however, i wish the characters resolved some of their issues alone, so that their relationship could be stronger once they were together. it seemed like the author was just piling on struggles. and she did it in the most stereotypical way. the characters would have that one deep conversation and then never talk about it again.
i also didn’t love how…predictable(?) this was. and no, not predictable like one would describe a fantasy book, i’m not expecting plot twists to come out of nowhere constantly. it just followed the same structure that every other romance novel follows and didn’t bring anything new to the table.
another thing. the brainrot/slang—absolutely diabolical. never once did i think to see any of these terms in one of my silly little romance books. titkok slang does not belong in books (in my ever so humble opinion).
let me present the evidence.
He made a dismissive noise. “Mid.”
“Did you just call my cat mid?”
”Hag.”
“Pick me.”
”Yaaaas.
the book world is supposed to be an escape. you think i like the amount of words being added to the dictionary? i’m just as fed up with “brain rot” slang as millennials are. abby jimenez, i love you, dearly. but please, for our sake, delete tiktok. you know? if it gets banned again, i won’t be too mad. maybe my favorite romance authors will stop trying to appeal to the younger audience and continue to write what made them popular in the first place.
Nothing. about him gave me the ick. I had the opposite of the ick right now. It was actually a problem.
Like, literally how dare my v*gina betray me like this. The audacity.
”Hearing my grandma read thirst comments about my boyfriend was not on my bingo card today.”
”Xavier?”
“Would you still want me if I was a worm?”
*constantly comparing Xavier to “Rhysand from ACOTAR”*
you all understand though right? think about it. when you find a new singer you like, you like them because of their original style of music. and when they start trying to be more mainstream, it’s frustrating, isn’t it? i think that’s where my disappointment mostly stems from with this book. i deemed abby jimenez as a favorite author because i liked the research and time she put into each book. i liked feeling emotional by the end of the book and getting attached to the characters. and my favorite aspect was that she took time resolving conflicts, because realistically, change takes a while. part of your world and yours truly are my primary examples (i still have yet to read the friend zone series). my main point is, this book wasn’t bad, it’s just not the same as her other books and my expectations were a lot higher going into this.
[START OF SPOILERS]
and my final issue, their family conflict. just because your wife has dementia doesn’t give you a free pass to go and cheat on her. the way the kids brushed that off like it was nothing kind of confused me. yes, they were grieving and going through their own struggles, but at the end of the day, cheating is cheating. it’s fine to go on dates and have fun, but to leave in the middle of the night when your wife needs you? no thanks. hopefully someone agrees with me because i was so put off by this..
[END SPOILERS]
overall, the book was NOT bad. please don’t let my review dictate whether you should read this or not. this is only my personal thoughts and feelings. if you disagree, i’m happy you enjoyed, and if you agree, i’d love to hear some of your opinions!! i will still be continuing to read whatever else she puts out. it doesn’t feel right to completely alter my opinion based on this one book.
₊˚⊹⋆
”Some things are worth remembering, Samantha. No matter how much they hurt.”
₊˚⊹⋆
i’m a bit conflicted on how i feel about this. objectively, it a good book. well-written, easy to read, and many swoony moments. i never felt trapped in this book or desperate to be done. i liked it.
but this isn’t just any author. this isn’t a debut. and my expectations were much higher. so, a tip? go in with an open mind, and pretend this isn’t the same author who wrote Yours Truly. i’m not saying every single one of her books has to be some emotional masterpiece, but i do wish i could have connected with the characters more. and with the amount of individual conflicts they were facing, it actually should have been an emotional read. something was missing and i’m not sure what it was.
i so desperately want this review to look nice, with sections for each character, but to be completely honest, i don’t have much to say about them. i’d say they were both developed and xavier always said and did right thing, as every male main character should. samantha was kind and her hardships were realistic.
however, i wish the characters resolved some of their issues alone, so that their relationship could be stronger once they were together. it seemed like the author was just piling on struggles. and she did it in the most stereotypical way. the characters would have that one deep conversation and then never talk about it again.
i also didn’t love how…predictable(?) this was. and no, not predictable like one would describe a fantasy book, i’m not expecting plot twists to come out of nowhere constantly. it just followed the same structure that every other romance novel follows and didn’t bring anything new to the table.
another thing. the brainrot/slang—absolutely diabolical. never once did i think to see any of these terms in one of my silly little romance books. titkok slang does not belong in books (in my ever so humble opinion).
let me present the evidence.
He made a dismissive noise. “Mid.”
“Did you just call my cat mid?”
”Hag.”
“Pick me.”
”Yaaaas.
the book world is supposed to be an escape. you think i like the amount of words being added to the dictionary? i’m just as fed up with “brain rot” slang as millennials are. abby jimenez, i love you, dearly. but please, for our sake, delete tiktok. you know? if it gets banned again, i won’t be too mad. maybe my favorite romance authors will stop trying to appeal to the younger audience and continue to write what made them popular in the first place.
Nothing. about him gave me the ick. I had the opposite of the ick right now. It was actually a problem.
Like, literally how dare my v*gina betray me like this. The audacity.
”Hearing my grandma read thirst comments about my boyfriend was not on my bingo card today.”
”Xavier?”
“Would you still want me if I was a worm?”
*constantly comparing Xavier to “Rhysand from ACOTAR”*
you all understand though right? think about it. when you find a new singer you like, you like them because of their original style of music. and when they start trying to be more mainstream, it’s frustrating, isn’t it? i think that’s where my disappointment mostly stems from with this book. i deemed abby jimenez as a favorite author because i liked the research and time she put into each book. i liked feeling emotional by the end of the book and getting attached to the characters. and my favorite aspect was that she took time resolving conflicts, because realistically, change takes a while. part of your world and yours truly are my primary examples (i still have yet to read the friend zone series). my main point is, this book wasn’t bad, it’s just not the same as her other books and my expectations were a lot higher going into this.
[START OF SPOILERS]
and my final issue, their family conflict. just because your wife has dementia doesn’t give you a free pass to go and cheat on her. the way the kids brushed that off like it was nothing kind of confused me. yes, they were grieving and going through their own struggles, but at the end of the day, cheating is cheating. it’s fine to go on dates and have fun, but to leave in the middle of the night when your wife needs you? no thanks. hopefully someone agrees with me because i was so put off by this..
[END SPOILERS]
overall, the book was NOT bad. please don’t let my review dictate whether you should read this or not. this is only my personal thoughts and feelings. if you disagree, i’m happy you enjoyed, and if you agree, i’d love to hear some of your opinions!! i will still be continuing to read whatever else she puts out. it doesn’t feel right to completely alter my opinion based on this one book.
₊˚⊹⋆
May 10, 2025
As I’ve been saying for years, not enough meet cutes involve a cat’s nonexistent butthole so you can imagine how delighted I was to finally get one. This book is ultimately about the unpleasant bliss of long-distance relationships and how annoying a holier-than-thou brother can be during times of family crises, but there is also an overheated pug, a tired dad, a terrible dad (and mom), and a philosophical question about being a worm. I found it delightful, myself, but I’m historically easy to please (source: none I made that up I’m actually very picky and mercurial). I’d like to end this review with the sincere statement that if I’m ever in the position of not being able to care for myself and I am, for all intents and purposes, gone in every way but physically and my husband is caring for me to ensure I am as comfortable and safe as possible, he’d sure as hell better be getting some strange on the side my god honey you’ve earned some release good lord.
July 22, 2025
Loved this. Emotional, funny, unique, great read.
April 5, 2025
Audible : 🎧
9 hours 59 minutes at 1x speed
6 hours 40 minutes at 1.5x speed
5 hours at 2x speed which I was able to easily listen to.
Described as an “emotional contemporary romance” rather than as a ROM COM, the latest offering from Abby Jimenez IS a bit different from past books.
So what does that mean?
The author has always written Rom Coms that included a serious topic as well as witty banter and plenty of spice, with characters who are under the age of 30. But, this time, the serious topics share equal time with the romance, and while the witty banter still exists, the spice takes a back seat.
Fortunately, as a reader who is outside of the demographic that is her usual target audience-it still worked for me, as I just LOVE her characters and writing.
So, what’s this one about?
Xavier Rush is a gorgeous, but grumpy veterinarian.
And, Samantha is all sunshine when she brings a kitten she found to his Minneapolis practice-that is until he informs her that her kitten will need a serious and VERY EXPENSIVE operation to survive, and he recommends euthanasia instead.
Although he means well-that is UNACCEPTABLE.
Samantha will find the money for the surgery and she returns to his practice just to show him her healthy, happy kitten, Pooter -but instead of finding an arrogant DR, she discovers one who is quite contrite. He asks her to dinner, and she accepts-because why not? She is moving to California the next day, to become a caretaker for her Mom who has advanced dementia.
So what happens after you go on the BEST first date of your life, with a person who could very well be “THE ONE” when a future seems impossible?
What follows is a love story that prevails despite the very messy obstacles of two very real, very challenging, adult lives.
I paired my reading with the FABULOUS Audible version of this story-but found myself wanting to LISTEN because of the unique production. The Audible has two narrators and the story alternates between the POV’s of both Samantha and Xavier, BUT ALL of the conversations between the characters, no matter which POV you were listening to, were voiced by BOTH narrators!
In other words, whenever Samantha spoke it was in narrator Christine Laken’s voice and whenever Xavier spoke, it was in the voice of narrator Matt Lantor, no matter which POV you were listening to-and I loved that the conversations were both narrators speaking to each other no matter which POV the chapter featured!
With her trademark witty banter, a kitten, and a dog named “Jake, from State Farm”- Abby Jimenez has penned another winner for me❣️
AVAILABLE NOW
Thank You to the Chandler Public Library for the loan of both formats! ❤️ As always, these are my candid thoughts!
9 hours 59 minutes at 1x speed
6 hours 40 minutes at 1.5x speed
5 hours at 2x speed which I was able to easily listen to.
Described as an “emotional contemporary romance” rather than as a ROM COM, the latest offering from Abby Jimenez IS a bit different from past books.
So what does that mean?
The author has always written Rom Coms that included a serious topic as well as witty banter and plenty of spice, with characters who are under the age of 30. But, this time, the serious topics share equal time with the romance, and while the witty banter still exists, the spice takes a back seat.
Fortunately, as a reader who is outside of the demographic that is her usual target audience-it still worked for me, as I just LOVE her characters and writing.
So, what’s this one about?
Xavier Rush is a gorgeous, but grumpy veterinarian.
And, Samantha is all sunshine when she brings a kitten she found to his Minneapolis practice-that is until he informs her that her kitten will need a serious and VERY EXPENSIVE operation to survive, and he recommends euthanasia instead.
Although he means well-that is UNACCEPTABLE.
Samantha will find the money for the surgery and she returns to his practice just to show him her healthy, happy kitten, Pooter -but instead of finding an arrogant DR, she discovers one who is quite contrite. He asks her to dinner, and she accepts-because why not? She is moving to California the next day, to become a caretaker for her Mom who has advanced dementia.
So what happens after you go on the BEST first date of your life, with a person who could very well be “THE ONE” when a future seems impossible?
What follows is a love story that prevails despite the very messy obstacles of two very real, very challenging, adult lives.
I paired my reading with the FABULOUS Audible version of this story-but found myself wanting to LISTEN because of the unique production. The Audible has two narrators and the story alternates between the POV’s of both Samantha and Xavier, BUT ALL of the conversations between the characters, no matter which POV you were listening to, were voiced by BOTH narrators!
In other words, whenever Samantha spoke it was in narrator Christine Laken’s voice and whenever Xavier spoke, it was in the voice of narrator Matt Lantor, no matter which POV you were listening to-and I loved that the conversations were both narrators speaking to each other no matter which POV the chapter featured!
With her trademark witty banter, a kitten, and a dog named “Jake, from State Farm”- Abby Jimenez has penned another winner for me❣️
AVAILABLE NOW
Thank You to the Chandler Public Library for the loan of both formats! ❤️ As always, these are my candid thoughts!
May 23, 2025
Speechless. Beautiful and heartbreaking all in one.
May 22, 2025
3.75 🌟 I fear my hopes were maybe just a little too high going into this one…I definitely liked it, but I mostly feel like it was “fine”. I still think AJ does a freaking incredible job of tackling complicated & deep topics in what feel like light, easy books…But this story just wasn’t as heavy of a hitter like some of her others were for me 🤷🏻♀️
April 4, 2025
I mean who expected less than 5 stars 😂
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