Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
I love everything I’ve read so far from Abby Jimenez. This book was different but still had everything I am used to from her. While I kept thinking damn this book is sad af, there were moments that kept me going where it was just so funny or happy. Which reflects the theme of this book.
Not a 5 star read only because the spice was minimal.
Not a 5 star read only because the spice was minimal.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness, Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Excellent book. While not my favourite ever by Abby, it was a gem.
Now.. If I hadn't returned the audiobook without writing the quote out about Xavier's parents believing that he would be a failure in life and when he wasn't, trying to take his success as something they were involved in.
Feel free to help me out :)
I am not as good of a person as Samantha and Xavier. It may have something to do with my relationship with my parents but I could not give up my life to live in the hell that was caring for her mother. It was too much for that whole family to bear.
Now.. If I hadn't returned the audiobook without writing the quote out about Xavier's parents believing that he would be a failure in life and when he wasn't, trying to take his success as something they were involved in.
Feel free to help me out :)
I am not as good of a person as Samantha and Xavier. It may have something to do with my relationship with my parents but I could not give up my life to live in the hell that was caring for her mother. It was too much for that whole family to bear.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Dementia, Grief, Abandonment
*ARC REVIEW - Thank you so much to Abby Jimenez’s Facebook Group & NetGalley for the opportunity to ARC read this book!!*
Last year when I met Abby Jimenez at a signing and told her that Just for the Summer was my favorite book yet, she gave me a sly smile and said “just wait until my next book - it’s my favorite book I’ve ever written”. Now that I have read Say You’ll Remember Me, I completely understand why.
Say You’ll Remember Me is Abby Jimenez’s most emotional and heart-wrenching book yet. While Jimenez is known for tackling sensitive subjects in her prior books, Say You’ll Remember Me takes it up a notch by tackling the realities and pain that comes with dementia and past childhood trauma. As is typical for Jimenez, these topics are written about with an authenticity that you don’t find often from other authors.
Xavier & Samantha are characters that feel so real - they are flawed, but they fall for each other and love each other wholly. Their struggles with dating and falling in love with someone long-distance is one that I think so many readers will be able to see their own relationships in, my own included.
As always, please read the trigger warnings and protect your mental health!
Last year when I met Abby Jimenez at a signing and told her that Just for the Summer was my favorite book yet, she gave me a sly smile and said “just wait until my next book - it’s my favorite book I’ve ever written”. Now that I have read Say You’ll Remember Me, I completely understand why.
Say You’ll Remember Me is Abby Jimenez’s most emotional and heart-wrenching book yet. While Jimenez is known for tackling sensitive subjects in her prior books, Say You’ll Remember Me takes it up a notch by tackling the realities and pain that comes with dementia and past childhood trauma. As is typical for Jimenez, these topics are written about with an authenticity that you don’t find often from other authors.
Xavier & Samantha are characters that feel so real - they are flawed, but they fall for each other and love each other wholly. Their struggles with dating and falling in love with someone long-distance is one that I think so many readers will be able to see their own relationships in, my own included.
As always, please read the trigger warnings and protect your mental health!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Abandonment
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Dementia, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
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, Abandonment
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I finished the book just a few moments ago and to say it was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. I LOVED Xavier and Samantha from the moment they met. They have some of the best chemistry in any book I’ve read recently. I teared up multiple times and loved all of the calls to earlier parts of the book in the end. It was an added perk to the emotional pay off.
Here are some of spoiler-free notes from passages I highlighted on my kindle:
“THIS IS EMOTIONAL WARFARE.”
“SHADOW DADDY!!”
“I love this for them.”
“!!!!!!”
“Xavier is my new book husband.”
“Oh, you sweet summer child.”
I could not put it down and would give Abby naming rights to all future children if she writes another book about these two.
Hands down, my favorite romcom I’ve read all year. I’ll be daydreaming about Xavier and Samantha for a while. Excuse me while I go and preorder multiple copies of this.
Here are some of spoiler-free notes from passages I highlighted on my kindle:
“THIS IS EMOTIONAL WARFARE.”
“SHADOW DADDY!!”
“I love this for them.”
“!!!!!!”
“Xavier is my new book husband.”
“Oh, you sweet summer child.”
I could not put it down and would give Abby naming rights to all future children if she writes another book about these two.
Hands down, my favorite romcom I’ve read all year. I’ll be daydreaming about Xavier and Samantha for a while. Excuse me while I go and preorder multiple copies of this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment
Read her trigger warning for further information.