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breeburkitt's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
The pastel and whimsical summer-type cover is such a lie, and whoever designed it is cruel! It's not a happy-go-lucky beach read. Say You'll Remember Me is so heart-wrenching and relatable in such a beautifully authentic way. It transcends a traditional romance and is instead a story of family, belonging and finding a way to deal with what's at hand.
Also, the meet-cute of a rescue cat without a butthole!? It's those light elements of levity that keep those from becoming trauma porn.
At times, I felt Samantha and Xavier overthought this obstacle and let it become something bigger than it was. This constant “realization” that it will always be like this, how hard it is, etc., became somewhat repetitive about two-thirds of the way in. However, the hurdles of money and family were realistic and relatable in a way we don't often see in similar books.
Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advance copy in exchange for my review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism
cnheartsbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I love when the ending of a book makes you pause to really think about it and say wow. That’s what this book did. The obstacles that the two main characters faced, that while this is a romance, looks at some very serious issues. Then you also get the romance, the fun-times, the awesome dogs and cats, family, friends and even a 1966 Dodge Dart.
I’ve loved every book that Abby Jimenez has written but so much in this book hits home with me making this my favorite.
I’ve loved every book that Abby Jimenez has written but so much in this book hits home with me making this my favorite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, and Grief
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Child abuse
keyapaha16's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Dementia
Moderate: Child abuse
krisjagger's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Dementia, and Grief
Minor: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, and Terminal illness
auryslife's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Another wonderful book by Abby Jimenez. Her characters feel like they are your friends. She uses things that happen in people's very day lives but gives them a wonderful spin. As someone who experienced two close family members experience dementia, this touched me deeply, such an accurate portrayal of the struggle for the family, friends, and person with dementia. My heart ached for the main characters as they struggled with the reality of a long-distance relationship that you just can't walk away from because you know the other is your for always person. As always, I laughed, I cried, I hated to have the book end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
katiedalbert's review against another edition
5.0
What a beautiful story. I’m not going to lie, the overall story is challenging so check the trigger warnings, but the challenges make for a stunning and deeply real story about family, sacrifices, and love.
I’ve read almost all of Abby’s books, but this one felt so different than the others- in a great way.Of course there was an HEA, how could there not be!! But the story overall was tinged with sadness and longing. Which made the book all the more beautiful.
I received an advanced readers e-book copy from Forever (Grand Central Publishing). Thank you for the ARC!!
I’ve read almost all of Abby’s books, but this one felt so different than the others- in a great way.
I received an advanced readers e-book copy from Forever (Grand Central Publishing). Thank you for the ARC!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Death
Minor: Animal cruelty
beate251's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group for this ARC.
Samantha works in marketing for a mustard brand in Minnesota and tall and frowny Xavier is a vet with his own practice. They meet over an impossibly cute stray cat that has an unusual and costly medical problem. They have one perfect date that mainly takes place in a locked escape room and then Sam is forced to move miles away. Their relationship has no future - and yet they both can't forget each other.
The story is told in alternating dual POV, so both Samantha and Xavier get their say. Both have baggage due to their parents. Xavier's parents are abusers, emotionally as well as physically, and Samantha has to move back home to California due to her mother's deteriorating health condition.
This book nearly broke me. There are two big topics that I have personal experience with: dementia and long-distance relationships. Both are described incredibly realistically and both suck. Especially caring for someone with dementia is exhausting and heartbreaking and you can only really appreciate it once you've done it yourself and you realise it's not just about memory loss. For some people, just reading about it will be too much, as well as learning about those caricature villains that are Xavier's parents. The relationships within Samantha's family are a bit more complex and revolve around how to best care for her mother.
Abby Jimenez' books seem to have many similarities to each other. They all deal with difficult topics, there is always a cute pet or two with a ridiculous name, a bearded man, the desire to have children, big feelings that border on obsession, and a couple of mentions of Nadia Cakes, the author's own business. There is always one apparent reason why two people who are incredibly perfect for each other can't be together. This time it is "we live too far from each other and we can't move, at all, ever". I get it, long distance is frustrating, tiring and expensive, but it usually has an end date.
The book is eminently readable and the big feelings will have many readers swoon, although everyone's problems seem to get solved a little too neatly and quickly at the end, but I adored lovely Dr Hank and his selflessness. Abby Jimenez means quality, and even though I would have liked a little less dementia drama I thoroughly enjoyed this and read it in one sitting. Also, the cover is utterly gorgeous.
"Love is the brightest color in a gray world."
Samantha works in marketing for a mustard brand in Minnesota and tall and frowny Xavier is a vet with his own practice. They meet over an impossibly cute stray cat that has an unusual and costly medical problem. They have one perfect date that mainly takes place in a locked escape room and then Sam is forced to move miles away. Their relationship has no future - and yet they both can't forget each other.
The story is told in alternating dual POV, so both Samantha and Xavier get their say. Both have baggage due to their parents. Xavier's parents are abusers, emotionally as well as physically, and Samantha has to move back home to California due to her mother's deteriorating health condition.
This book nearly broke me. There are two big topics that I have personal experience with: dementia and long-distance relationships. Both are described incredibly realistically and both suck. Especially caring for someone with dementia is exhausting and heartbreaking and you can only really appreciate it once you've done it yourself and you realise it's not just about memory loss. For some people, just reading about it will be too much, as well as learning about those caricature villains that are Xavier's parents. The relationships within Samantha's family are a bit more complex and revolve around how to best care for her mother.
Abby Jimenez' books seem to have many similarities to each other. They all deal with difficult topics, there is always a cute pet or two with a ridiculous name, a bearded man, the desire to have children, big feelings that border on obsession, and a couple of mentions of Nadia Cakes, the author's own business. There is always one apparent reason why two people who are incredibly perfect for each other can't be together. This time it is "we live too far from each other and we can't move, at all, ever". I get it, long distance is frustrating, tiring and expensive, but it usually has an end date.
The book is eminently readable and the big feelings will have many readers swoon, although everyone's problems seem to get solved a little too neatly and quickly at the end, but I adored lovely Dr Hank and his selflessness. Abby Jimenez means quality, and even though I would have liked a little less dementia drama I thoroughly enjoyed this and read it in one sitting. Also, the cover is utterly gorgeous.
"Love is the brightest color in a gray world."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Dementia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Death, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
rachelshubin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Say You’ll Remember Me is a difficult book to rate. It is being marketed as a romance book but it should be sold as women’s fiction. There’s not a lot of romance compared to the actually “family member with dementia dynamic.” Dementia + a romance story ≠ a romance book. Romance was a subplot at best, and as some other reviewers have mentioned - it’s heavy on the trauma and too light on the romance. I would’ve judged this story less harshly if I knew it was more of women’s literature than a romance, hence a 3 star rating.
If I was to rate this story…the chemistry between the characters, the humor, and the banter was all a 5/5! Really no notes, it was addictive and fun and enjoyable! Unfortunately the actual plot and the progression of the story was a total downer and gave me anxiety as I waited for the other shoe to drop. It’s fine if you want to put your characters through trauma, but as the reader, it was too much trauma. I genuinely couldn’t conceive of a way they could be together. Yes, life is messy, but is it this messy? I felt exhausted as everything that could go wrong, went wrong.
On the topic of dementia, my grandfather had it so the idea of this story was already close to home. I wish Abby had focused a little on how shitty the system is for the families who want to care for their sick family member, but how cost inhibitive that can be. She focused a lot on the problems families go through with caring for their loved ones and also how hard it is to have them not recognize you.
Pros: there were many funny moments, some good friends (except Sam basically had no friends so that kinda made her one dimensional) and there were so many ACOTAR/Rhysand references which was super fun! The writing style is Abby’s classic addictive detailing.
Cons: well, I’ve already listed a ton but honestly…a social media manager for mustard? That was a choice. There was also sooo much working against the MCs that their Happily Ever After was really unrealistic at the end.
It’s not my least favorite Abby Jimenez read, but it’s definitely down there
Fave order (I still have one of hers to read)
- Just For the Summer
- Part of Your World
- Yours Truly
- The Friend Zone
- Happily Ever After Playlist
I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy! Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, and Abandonment
emmakell919's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Animal cruelty