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pagesplotsandpints's Reviews (2.1k)
<b>Read Completed 4/19/25 |</b> 3.25 stars | Book #54 of 2025
This was a really interesting concept and I liked the vibe of this book. It's crime thriller mixed with paranormal where the main character can see ghosts. Combined with her job as a forensic photographer, we get a crime thriller concept where some of the ghosts want her to solve their murders.
I really liked a lot of what was going on here, but ultimately, I think it just spent too much time on a lot of the backstory and barely any time getting me interested in the mystery and crime aspect. I wasn't even really sure what the story was supposed to be for a while because it really wasn't the main focus of the book. The author spent a lot of time setting up Rita's backstory in the first half of the book, which was also interesting, but it made the book feel a little aimless and I wasn't exactly sure where the plot was going. In retrospect, it all makes sense but at the time, I wasn't quite sure what was the most important.
This is a series, but I don't see myself continuing it. I'm glad I read it but I can't see myself going out of my way to recommend it.
This was a really interesting concept and I liked the vibe of this book. It's crime thriller mixed with paranormal where the main character can see ghosts. Combined with her job as a forensic photographer, we get a crime thriller concept where some of the ghosts want her to solve their murders.
I really liked a lot of what was going on here, but ultimately, I think it just spent too much time on a lot of the backstory and barely any time getting me interested in the mystery and crime aspect. I wasn't even really sure what the story was supposed to be for a while because it really wasn't the main focus of the book. The author spent a lot of time setting up Rita's backstory in the first half of the book, which was also interesting, but it made the book feel a little aimless and I wasn't exactly sure where the plot was going. In retrospect, it all makes sense but at the time, I wasn't quite sure what was the most important.
This is a series, but I don't see myself continuing it. I'm glad I read it but I can't see myself going out of my way to recommend it.
<b>Read Completed 4/17/15 |</b> 2 stars | Book #53 of 2025
OOF, I did not enjoy this one. This was a hard read for me right from the start. I might suggest not listening to this book as an audiobook because I found the female voices way too similar. All of the three main characters really just blended together and I don't know if I really ever distinctly separated them, but honestly, I also didn't really care. Right from the start, I hated every single character. None of them were supposed to be likable but I didn't know if I was supposed to be rooting for someone? Usually that helps to have ONE person to root for because it was just frustrating to not like anyone.
The plot was really all over the place. There was one main concept holding it all together, but I did not like the reveal. I'm really not impressed when authors just use flashbacks or another POV to explain everything. Let's weave it into the actual story. I mean, I'm no writer. I can't do these things. But I know what I enjoy and this wasn't it.
The pacing was just horrible for me. The book had a huge conclusion moment.... but then there was still 20% of the book left!! It really should have ended with a big bang. I lost any momentum I still had left.
I just didn't enjoy this at all, sadly. I like John Marrs' speculative / sci-fi fiction much more than I like his psychological thrillers, but I fear these are just becoming more and more outlandish the more that I read. I'm not really sure I want to pick these up anymore.
OOF, I did not enjoy this one. This was a hard read for me right from the start. I might suggest not listening to this book as an audiobook because I found the female voices way too similar. All of the three main characters really just blended together and I don't know if I really ever distinctly separated them, but honestly, I also didn't really care. Right from the start, I hated every single character. None of them were supposed to be likable but I didn't know if I was supposed to be rooting for someone? Usually that helps to have ONE person to root for because it was just frustrating to not like anyone.
The plot was really all over the place. There was one main concept holding it all together, but I did not like the reveal. I'm really not impressed when authors just use flashbacks or another POV to explain everything. Let's weave it into the actual story. I mean, I'm no writer. I can't do these things. But I know what I enjoy and this wasn't it.
The pacing was just horrible for me. The book had a huge conclusion moment.... but then there was still 20% of the book left!! It really should have ended with a big bang. I lost any momentum I still had left.
I just didn't enjoy this at all, sadly. I like John Marrs' speculative / sci-fi fiction much more than I like his psychological thrillers, but I fear these are just becoming more and more outlandish the more that I read. I'm not really sure I want to pick these up anymore.
<b>Read Completed 4/16/25 |</b> 3 stars | Book #52 of 2025
I picked this book up because I can't stop seeing it on social media with pretty much only 5 star reviews. Whenever this happens for a thriller, I'm usually pretty cautious because I don't agree with a lot of rave reviews, but I was still curious enough to check it out. Naturally, it went just about as I expected!
LOVE, MOM was a decent read, but ultimately, not quite enough for me to rave about it at all. The plot was good and had some nice twists, but it felt really, really bare bones. There could have been way more depth throughout the story to add some red herrings, draw suspicion towards or away from certain characters, add more suspense, and even more character depth. The bones of this book were good, but it just didn't have ANY magic for me. I can see why people had fun with it, but this was kind of a "starter thriller" for me. I'm just looking for a lot more story-telling and layers to really keep me hooked.
The ending was also a little too "nice" for me. Things tied up neatly, which is fine, but it was a little too mushy. I hated the epilogue where a character who wasn't even involved in the book on the pages essentially does a tell-all. The author could have woven that into the story somehow, but it wasn't easy enough so it got thrown in at the end. Eh.
LOVE, MOM was just fine! But I'm not the audience who's going to run around giving it 5 stars. Don't let me discourage you from reading it, but this was just okay for me. This won't be very memorable.
I picked this book up because I can't stop seeing it on social media with pretty much only 5 star reviews. Whenever this happens for a thriller, I'm usually pretty cautious because I don't agree with a lot of rave reviews, but I was still curious enough to check it out. Naturally, it went just about as I expected!
LOVE, MOM was a decent read, but ultimately, not quite enough for me to rave about it at all. The plot was good and had some nice twists, but it felt really, really bare bones. There could have been way more depth throughout the story to add some red herrings, draw suspicion towards or away from certain characters, add more suspense, and even more character depth. The bones of this book were good, but it just didn't have ANY magic for me. I can see why people had fun with it, but this was kind of a "starter thriller" for me. I'm just looking for a lot more story-telling and layers to really keep me hooked.
The ending was also a little too "nice" for me. Things tied up neatly, which is fine, but it was a little too mushy. I hated the epilogue where a character who wasn't even involved in the book on the pages essentially does a tell-all. The author could have woven that into the story somehow, but it wasn't easy enough so it got thrown in at the end. Eh.
LOVE, MOM was just fine! But I'm not the audience who's going to run around giving it 5 stars. Don't let me discourage you from reading it, but this was just okay for me. This won't be very memorable.
<b>Read Completed 4/14/25 |</b> 3 stars | Book #51 of 2025
<I>Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin Audio, for the auto approval to read this book via Netgalley. My opinions have not been influenced by my free copy.</I>
This was just an okay read for me! The beginning was much better than the end, but I think readers who love over-the-top, twisty reads like Freida McFadden's books and Kiersten Modglin's, will appreciate this one. For me, it was a little too much.
I liked the beginning and the story of Charlotte going to take over her sister's life for a short while. After a while, this just started to feel like You (the TV show) Season 4 where everyone's rich and despicable. Some things were a little confusing with so many names involved because a lot of these people weren't involved enough for me to know or care who they were. The ending was a little too much.
A decent read, but maybe better with other audiences.
<I>Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin Audio, for the auto approval to read this book via Netgalley. My opinions have not been influenced by my free copy.</I>
This was just an okay read for me! The beginning was much better than the end, but I think readers who love over-the-top, twisty reads like Freida McFadden's books and Kiersten Modglin's, will appreciate this one. For me, it was a little too much.
I liked the beginning and the story of Charlotte going to take over her sister's life for a short while. After a while, this just started to feel like You (the TV show) Season 4 where everyone's rich and despicable. Some things were a little confusing with so many names involved because a lot of these people weren't involved enough for me to know or care who they were. The ending was a little too much.
A decent read, but maybe better with other audiences.
<b>Read Completed 4/9/25 |</b> 1.5 stars | Book #50 of 2025
<I>Thank you to the publisher for the audiobook approval via NetGalley. My opinions are in no way influenced by receiving a free copy to read. I also had an ebook copy via Amazon First Reads but chose to listen to the audiobook thanks to my Netgalley approval.</I>
I know it's a serious challenge and takes real talent to write short stories / novellas well and have the reader really care about them... and this just wasn't it. This was a must-read for me because I love Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen books, so with Sarah Pekkanen releasing full-length novels on her own, I was dying to see what this had in store for me with just Greer Hendricks at the helm.
This was just.... not good. In a full-length novel, sure. We would have had time to spend dilly dallying about. In a short story thriller? You HAVE to get to the good parts quickly. It took to long to even get to the sublet. I was beat over the head with "lavender" and this stupid guru woman. There was a wild twist at the end which was stupid because we didn't even have time to get to know what was going on and there wasn't enough time to be interested in the intrigue of it all. Like I said, it takes real skill and is very challenging to make a reader care that much in that amount of time, and I was not into it at all. I hated the characters, didn't feel for them or understand their motives, and just none of it worked for me.
The author wasted a lot of time with dumb filler that could have been better spent in better places. I'm also STILL confused about something...The main character said she had a hard time conceiving and finally she got her twins with IVF. She hadn't had sex with her husband in weeks to a month, and somehow she ends up pregnant at the end. But. How? Was this supposed to be a miraculous conception? Was this from her husband? From the pills? WHY was that even necessary? WHO CARES!! I must have fever-dreamed right over that explanation because I was too busy being disappointed in everything else.
Yes, this was free, but I still invested (a small amount of) time in it. I would have liked to enjoy it at least a little bit.
<I>Thank you to the publisher for the audiobook approval via NetGalley. My opinions are in no way influenced by receiving a free copy to read. I also had an ebook copy via Amazon First Reads but chose to listen to the audiobook thanks to my Netgalley approval.</I>
I know it's a serious challenge and takes real talent to write short stories / novellas well and have the reader really care about them... and this just wasn't it. This was a must-read for me because I love Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen books, so with Sarah Pekkanen releasing full-length novels on her own, I was dying to see what this had in store for me with just Greer Hendricks at the helm.
This was just.... not good. In a full-length novel, sure. We would have had time to spend dilly dallying about. In a short story thriller? You HAVE to get to the good parts quickly. It took to long to even get to the sublet. I was beat over the head with "lavender" and this stupid guru woman. There was a wild twist at the end which was stupid because we didn't even have time to get to know what was going on and there wasn't enough time to be interested in the intrigue of it all. Like I said, it takes real skill and is very challenging to make a reader care that much in that amount of time, and I was not into it at all. I hated the characters, didn't feel for them or understand their motives, and just none of it worked for me.
The author wasted a lot of time with dumb filler that could have been better spent in better places. I'm also STILL confused about something...
Yes, this was free, but I still invested (a small amount of) time in it. I would have liked to enjoy it at least a little bit.
<b>Read Completed 4/7/25 |</b> 2.5 stars | Book #49 of 2025
This just wasn't the book for me, but not a bad read. It's one of those contemporary novels where it doesn't really have a plot and just kind of meanders all around a topic. I picked it up because I was hoping for humor, and there definitely was some, but more just the level of a smirk and not an all out laugh.
After finishing, I don't really have much to say about it. I just wasn't engaged and it was fairly boring, but I know it's just not my personal taste. You have to be engaged with the topic and the essence of the story to be interested and I just wasn't. Not the right time, not the right mood, but I can see why it hits for others. The book is VERY introspective, which is fine, but I was hoping for just a bit more plot to keep the momentum moving as well. I wanted to see more his interactions with work and more *events* to keep the a reader like me hooked. I guess I'm just not the right audience and/or this was just the wrong time for me to pick this up.
This just wasn't the book for me, but not a bad read. It's one of those contemporary novels where it doesn't really have a plot and just kind of meanders all around a topic. I picked it up because I was hoping for humor, and there definitely was some, but more just the level of a smirk and not an all out laugh.
After finishing, I don't really have much to say about it. I just wasn't engaged and it was fairly boring, but I know it's just not my personal taste. You have to be engaged with the topic and the essence of the story to be interested and I just wasn't. Not the right time, not the right mood, but I can see why it hits for others. The book is VERY introspective, which is fine, but I was hoping for just a bit more plot to keep the momentum moving as well. I wanted to see more his interactions with work and more *events* to keep the a reader like me hooked. I guess I'm just not the right audience and/or this was just the wrong time for me to pick this up.
<b>Read Completed 4/6/25 |</b>3 stars | Book #48 of 2025
Love Hater, thy name is me. This was a pretty blah read for me, but the story was still readable. I do like Katherine Center's writing style and tone, but the romance, plot, AND characters weren't for me. I'm sure others will still love it, but none of it really hit for me. 3 stars isn't a bad rating and this wasn't a bad book, but I simply didn't connect and it didn't stir many feelings up.
At 33%, I was actively irritated by it. I didn't connect to Katie and I was mad that she and (selfish) co-worker Cole were trying to push his brother, Hutch, into essentially becoming internet famous when he didn't want to. There's more to that story, and I knew there was, but I still wasn't thrilled with how it all came around.
I had didn't love Katie's body issues and how they were handled. I felt like some of it was a little too quickly brushed by and aside from just talking about how she didn't want to know her weight, there really wasn't much detail about her new relationship with food (which would be a BIG deal) except some mentions here and there and of course, her self-perception. It wasn't handled *poorly* but it just didn't quite feel right. Those are some really deeply seeded issues and I kind of felt like once Hutch told her she was pretty and he liked the way she looked that it like, magically cured it for her for the most part? I don't know. I don't have anything against including this topic in this book, but I was also not at the right time to want to read about it, so I just had a hard time with it overall too.
Hutch was kind of .... BORING? Firstly he really wasn't a "love hater" so that was kind of annoying. I wanted him to be grumpy, but he was just kind of blah. When he had personality, it was a little too nice and too sweet. He could have used a lot more character development. Katie was okay. Rue was too typical sassy grandma/older female relative that's used so often in books. I liked her but she needed more personality too. The brother sucked. WHAT WAS WITH THE DRINKING CONTEST and why was that a thing and why was the prize kissing Katie!?! That was so stupid.
The ending was just FINE, nothing I really cared about by that point. All of the coast guard action wasn't really engaging for me. The best friend should have been on the page at some point too.
This is a very forgettable read and I felt little to no passion or chemistry between the two leads. Center is usually a closed-door romance author so I don't mind there really only being kissing, but I still want to feel that tension, yearning, butterflies.... this just didn't do it for me.
Love Hater, thy name is me. This was a pretty blah read for me, but the story was still readable. I do like Katherine Center's writing style and tone, but the romance, plot, AND characters weren't for me. I'm sure others will still love it, but none of it really hit for me. 3 stars isn't a bad rating and this wasn't a bad book, but I simply didn't connect and it didn't stir many feelings up.
At 33%, I was actively irritated by it. I didn't connect to Katie and I was mad that she and (selfish) co-worker Cole were trying to push his brother, Hutch, into essentially becoming internet famous when he didn't want to. There's more to that story, and I knew there was, but I still wasn't thrilled with how it all came around.
I had didn't love Katie's body issues and how they were handled. I felt like some of it was a little too quickly brushed by and aside from just talking about how she didn't want to know her weight, there really wasn't much detail about her new relationship with food (which would be a BIG deal) except some mentions here and there and of course, her self-perception. It wasn't handled *poorly* but it just didn't quite feel right. Those are some really deeply seeded issues and I kind of felt like once Hutch told her she was pretty and he liked the way she looked that it like, magically cured it for her for the most part? I don't know. I don't have anything against including this topic in this book, but I was also not at the right time to want to read about it, so I just had a hard time with it overall too.
Hutch was kind of .... BORING? Firstly he really wasn't a "love hater" so that was kind of annoying. I wanted him to be grumpy, but he was just kind of blah. When he had personality, it was a little too nice and too sweet. He could have used a lot more character development. Katie was okay. Rue was too typical sassy grandma/older female relative that's used so often in books. I liked her but she needed more personality too. The brother sucked. WHAT WAS WITH THE DRINKING CONTEST and why was that a thing and why was the prize kissing Katie!?! That was so stupid.
The ending was just FINE, nothing I really cared about by that point. All of the coast guard action wasn't really engaging for me. The best friend should have been on the page at some point too.
This is a very forgettable read and I felt little to no passion or chemistry between the two leads. Center is usually a closed-door romance author so I don't mind there really only being kissing, but I still want to feel that tension, yearning, butterflies.... this just didn't do it for me.
<b>Read Completed 4/2/25 |</b> 4.5 stars | Book #46 of 2025
So, this wasn't an instant favorite and it's not taking over as my favorite Abby Jimenez book, BUT these characters are gonna stick with me and my complaints are only minor. I just finished the book and I just still want more of Sam & Xavier. It's a romance, so I'm happy for their happy ending, but I also can't wait for the next book so we can see them again all happy and TOGETHER because you know they're making an appearance!!
Upon finishing, I wasn't sure exactly where this book would land among my Abby Jimenez rankings. These are some serious favorites on my shelves and in my reading history so each book has SUCH big shoes to fill that it scares me because I don't want to overhype it for myself. SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME was just a beautiful love story and it felt so different than pretty much any other romance I've ever read (except for maybe other Abby Jimenez books). I really appreciate that the conflict in this book isn't about them. The distance between them absolutely killed me but also kind of in the best way? It was so much more than just a long distance relationship.
I think the thing that really sealed the deal for me was actually towards the end with Samantha and her family. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- Abby Jimenez just makes such REAL characters. Each one feels like a real person. Sam's family and their family meeting about how to care for her mom was so raw and real and I'm always so impressed with her writing. The money issue and the cost of constantly flying halfway across the country was also just heart-breaking and I'm sure something that many people can relate to as well. Everything really just hit me.
Sam and Xavier are excellent main characters and I really loved their romance. They instantly had a connection and didn't care what it took. They knew they wanted to be together and that it wasn't just a passing fling or crush. I really loved their chemistry and their instant connection. Xavier was a little grumpy but not so much that it was off-putting or frustrating, and that quickly melted when he knew he wanted a connection with Sam.
The ending was just lovely. My only complaint was that it was too short and I just want more of these characters always! It made me so happy in the end and just left me with the best feelings. I wasn't sure if I was going to love this one and it was a slow creep for me but everything really grew on me in the best way.
AUDIOBOOK THOUGHTS: I listened to this as an audiobook and really enjoyed it! I haven't listened to many duets (which means that each narrator narrates their own chapter, but while it was Sam's voice and Xavier was talking, the male narrator would do all of his parts and vice versa, instead of each narrator doing the WHOLE chapter). I thought I would be annoyed by it and that it would be a little jarring to have another voice interrupting all the time, but it actually was just perfect. The voice actors were great and the production was really wonderful so that everything flowed smoothly. I really love Christine Lakin and she's become one of my favorite narrators over the years. I think this is the first time I listened to Matt Lanter, and I really enjoyed his narration too! Sometimes I can be pickier about the male narrators and I easily fell into his narration as well. I'd definitely recommend this as an audiobook, especially since the duet narration seems to be something that's increasingly requested from readers!
So, this wasn't an instant favorite and it's not taking over as my favorite Abby Jimenez book, BUT these characters are gonna stick with me and my complaints are only minor. I just finished the book and I just still want more of Sam & Xavier. It's a romance, so I'm happy for their happy ending, but I also can't wait for the next book so we can see them again all happy and TOGETHER because you know they're making an appearance!!
Upon finishing, I wasn't sure exactly where this book would land among my Abby Jimenez rankings. These are some serious favorites on my shelves and in my reading history so each book has SUCH big shoes to fill that it scares me because I don't want to overhype it for myself. SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME was just a beautiful love story and it felt so different than pretty much any other romance I've ever read (except for maybe other Abby Jimenez books). I really appreciate that the conflict in this book isn't about them. The distance between them absolutely killed me but also kind of in the best way? It was so much more than just a long distance relationship.
I think the thing that really sealed the deal for me was actually towards the end with Samantha and her family. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- Abby Jimenez just makes such REAL characters. Each one feels like a real person. Sam's family and their family meeting about how to care for her mom was so raw and real and I'm always so impressed with her writing. The money issue and the cost of constantly flying halfway across the country was also just heart-breaking and I'm sure something that many people can relate to as well. Everything really just hit me.
Sam and Xavier are excellent main characters and I really loved their romance. They instantly had a connection and didn't care what it took. They knew they wanted to be together and that it wasn't just a passing fling or crush. I really loved their chemistry and their instant connection. Xavier was a little grumpy but not so much that it was off-putting or frustrating, and that quickly melted when he knew he wanted a connection with Sam.
The ending was just lovely. My only complaint was that it was too short and I just want more of these characters always! It made me so happy in the end and just left me with the best feelings. I wasn't sure if I was going to love this one and it was a slow creep for me but everything really grew on me in the best way.
AUDIOBOOK THOUGHTS: I listened to this as an audiobook and really enjoyed it! I haven't listened to many duets (which means that each narrator narrates their own chapter, but while it was Sam's voice and Xavier was talking, the male narrator would do all of his parts and vice versa, instead of each narrator doing the WHOLE chapter). I thought I would be annoyed by it and that it would be a little jarring to have another voice interrupting all the time, but it actually was just perfect. The voice actors were great and the production was really wonderful so that everything flowed smoothly. I really love Christine Lakin and she's become one of my favorite narrators over the years. I think this is the first time I listened to Matt Lanter, and I really enjoyed his narration too! Sometimes I can be pickier about the male narrators and I easily fell into his narration as well. I'd definitely recommend this as an audiobook, especially since the duet narration seems to be something that's increasingly requested from readers!
<b>Read Completed 4/2/25 |</b> 4.5 stars | Book #46 of 2025
So, this wasn't an instant favorite and it's not taking over as my favorite Abby Jimenez book, BUT these characters are gonna stick with me and my complaints are only minor. I just finished the book and I just still want more of Sam & Xavier. It's a romance, so I'm happy for their happy ending, but I also can't wait for the next book so we can see them again all happy and TOGETHER because you know they're making an appearance!!
Upon finishing, I wasn't sure exactly where this book would land among my Abby Jimenez rankings. These are some serious favorites on my shelves and in my reading history so each book has SUCH big shoes to fill that it scares me because I don't want to overhype it for myself. SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME was just a beautiful love story and it felt so different than pretty much any other romance I've ever read (except for maybe other Abby Jimenez books). I really appreciate that the conflict in this book isn't about them. The distance between them absolutely killed me but also kind of in the best way? It was so much more than just a long distance relationship.
I think the thing that really sealed the deal for me was actually towards the end with Samantha and her family. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- Abby Jimenez just makes such REAL characters. Each one feels like a real person. Sam's family and their family meeting about how to care for her mom was so raw and real and I'm always so impressed with her writing. The money issue and the cost of constantly flying halfway across the country was also just heart-breaking and I'm sure something that many people can relate to as well. Everything really just hit me.
Sam and Xavier are excellent main characters and I really loved their romance. They instantly had a connection and didn't care what it took. They knew they wanted to be together and that it wasn't just a passing fling or crush. I really loved their chemistry and their instant connection. Xavier was a little grumpy but not so much that it was off-putting or frustrating, and that quickly melted when he knew he wanted a connection with Sam.
The ending was just lovely. My only complaint was that it was too short and I just want more of these characters always! It made me so happy in the end and just left me with the best feelings. I wasn't sure if I was going to love this one and it was a slow creep for me but everything really grew on me in the best way.
AUDIOBOOK THOUGHTS: I listened to this as an audiobook and really enjoyed it! I haven't listened to many duets (which means that each narrator narrates their own chapter, but while it was Sam's voice and Xavier was talking, the male narrator would do all of his parts and vice versa, instead of each narrator doing the WHOLE chapter). I thought I would be annoyed by it and that it would be a little jarring to have another voice interrupting all the time, but it actually was just perfect. The voice actors were great and the production was really wonderful so that everything flowed smoothly. I really love Christine Lakin and she's become one of my favorite narrators over the years. I think this is the first time I listened to Matt Lanter, and I really enjoyed his narration too! Sometimes I can be pickier about the male narrators and I easily fell into his narration as well. I'd definitely recommend this as an audiobook, especially since the duet narration seems to be something that's increasingly requested from readers!
So, this wasn't an instant favorite and it's not taking over as my favorite Abby Jimenez book, BUT these characters are gonna stick with me and my complaints are only minor. I just finished the book and I just still want more of Sam & Xavier. It's a romance, so I'm happy for their happy ending, but I also can't wait for the next book so we can see them again all happy and TOGETHER because you know they're making an appearance!!
Upon finishing, I wasn't sure exactly where this book would land among my Abby Jimenez rankings. These are some serious favorites on my shelves and in my reading history so each book has SUCH big shoes to fill that it scares me because I don't want to overhype it for myself. SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME was just a beautiful love story and it felt so different than pretty much any other romance I've ever read (except for maybe other Abby Jimenez books). I really appreciate that the conflict in this book isn't about them. The distance between them absolutely killed me but also kind of in the best way? It was so much more than just a long distance relationship.
I think the thing that really sealed the deal for me was actually towards the end with Samantha and her family. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- Abby Jimenez just makes such REAL characters. Each one feels like a real person. Sam's family and their family meeting about how to care for her mom was so raw and real and I'm always so impressed with her writing. The money issue and the cost of constantly flying halfway across the country was also just heart-breaking and I'm sure something that many people can relate to as well. Everything really just hit me.
Sam and Xavier are excellent main characters and I really loved their romance. They instantly had a connection and didn't care what it took. They knew they wanted to be together and that it wasn't just a passing fling or crush. I really loved their chemistry and their instant connection. Xavier was a little grumpy but not so much that it was off-putting or frustrating, and that quickly melted when he knew he wanted a connection with Sam.
The ending was just lovely. My only complaint was that it was too short and I just want more of these characters always! It made me so happy in the end and just left me with the best feelings. I wasn't sure if I was going to love this one and it was a slow creep for me but everything really grew on me in the best way.
AUDIOBOOK THOUGHTS: I listened to this as an audiobook and really enjoyed it! I haven't listened to many duets (which means that each narrator narrates their own chapter, but while it was Sam's voice and Xavier was talking, the male narrator would do all of his parts and vice versa, instead of each narrator doing the WHOLE chapter). I thought I would be annoyed by it and that it would be a little jarring to have another voice interrupting all the time, but it actually was just perfect. The voice actors were great and the production was really wonderful so that everything flowed smoothly. I really love Christine Lakin and she's become one of my favorite narrators over the years. I think this is the first time I listened to Matt Lanter, and I really enjoyed his narration too! Sometimes I can be pickier about the male narrators and I easily fell into his narration as well. I'd definitely recommend this as an audiobook, especially since the duet narration seems to be something that's increasingly requested from readers!
<b>Read Completed 4/1/25 |</b> 4 stars | Read #45 of 2025
No one is more surprised than me that I liked this book, but it hit at a good time. Surprise pregnancy is not normally -- or really not EVER -- a trope I've enjoyed, but I like trying things to challenge some of my hesitations and preferences because I love when books surprise me.
Firstly, I feel like this really read more contemporary fiction with some romance in it than it did romance novel. I think maybe it comes off rom-com because Eve has a very humorous narration style full of awkward laughs and some funny rom-com type vibes, but really, the romance takes a backseat here. I felt like the story was much more about Eve and her life upon finding out that she's pregnant after a (very hot) one night stand. The book starts with a focus on confirming the pregnancy and ending in the birth, so it's not really starting with a meet cute and ending with a happily ever after, though the romance does run it course, of course.
I actually really did like the way the book was written. I think I liked it MORE with the more contemporary vibe than I would have it if it was romance with the accidentally pregnancy trope. I really enjoyed the focus and seeing how Eve handled things, and the mix of the guys and friendships along the way.
I also think I liked the vibe because it could have very easily been a love triangle and it really wasn't. I appreciate that the author didn't make Ethan a romantic interest and he really wasn't ever dangled as one, so we didn't enter a love triangle whatsoever. I won't give away all the reasons, but the involvement of Ethan ends up being a conflict/complication in exactly how he handles everything and he and Eve navigating this new connection that they have.
The big flop of this book for me was Shep. I know, I know, anyone who loved this book is going to ask me how. Well, I do have the name Shep, let me tell you 😂 I'm assuming it's short for Shepherd? But I kept thinking Shemp and the Three Stooges. It wasn't a sexy association, and the author described how hairy he was and his feet way too much. Big turn offs. But mostly, he was just TOO NICE. Shep was the kind of guy where in real life, it's exactly what you want, but somehow on the page, it just came off as too much. Maybe I just don't dig the cinnamon roll / golden retriever vibes. I don't want the MMC to be mean or rude, but a grumpy / sunshine is way more my romantic vibe. I just never felt like he was desirable. He really was very sweet, but I just didn't like his dynamic with Eve and something about it just felt very uneven with Eve coming around to fall in love with him but he's been in love with her his whole life. I know they've always been friends but somehow it almost felt unbalanced, like she was taking advantage of him even thought she wasn't at all.
Despite hating this trope all of my life, it was actually the shining, most enjoyable portion of the book for me. Things were messy, but real. I loved seeing Eve come around from shock to worry all the way to excitement and love and really feeling all of those feelings. I really loved where most of the characters ended up.
I haven't read reviews yet but I feel like my feelings and review are not going to be the same as others, but who knows! Same rating, different reasons.
No one is more surprised than me that I liked this book, but it hit at a good time. Surprise pregnancy is not normally -- or really not EVER -- a trope I've enjoyed, but I like trying things to challenge some of my hesitations and preferences because I love when books surprise me.
Firstly, I feel like this really read more contemporary fiction with some romance in it than it did romance novel. I think maybe it comes off rom-com because Eve has a very humorous narration style full of awkward laughs and some funny rom-com type vibes, but really, the romance takes a backseat here. I felt like the story was much more about Eve and her life upon finding out that she's pregnant after a (very hot) one night stand. The book starts with a focus on confirming the pregnancy and ending in the birth, so it's not really starting with a meet cute and ending with a happily ever after, though the romance does run it course, of course.
I actually really did like the way the book was written. I think I liked it MORE with the more contemporary vibe than I would have it if it was romance with the accidentally pregnancy trope. I really enjoyed the focus and seeing how Eve handled things, and the mix of the guys and friendships along the way.
I also think I liked the vibe because it could have very easily been a love triangle and it really wasn't. I appreciate that the author didn't make Ethan a romantic interest and he really wasn't ever dangled as one, so we didn't enter a love triangle whatsoever. I won't give away all the reasons, but the involvement of Ethan ends up being a conflict/complication in exactly how he handles everything and he and Eve navigating this new connection that they have.
The big flop of this book for me was Shep. I know, I know, anyone who loved this book is going to ask me how. Well, I do have the name Shep, let me tell you 😂 I'm assuming it's short for Shepherd? But I kept thinking Shemp and the Three Stooges. It wasn't a sexy association, and the author described how hairy he was and his feet way too much. Big turn offs. But mostly, he was just TOO NICE. Shep was the kind of guy where in real life, it's exactly what you want, but somehow on the page, it just came off as too much. Maybe I just don't dig the cinnamon roll / golden retriever vibes. I don't want the MMC to be mean or rude, but a grumpy / sunshine is way more my romantic vibe. I just never felt like he was desirable. He really was very sweet, but I just didn't like his dynamic with Eve and something about it just felt very uneven with Eve coming around to fall in love with him but he's been in love with her his whole life. I know they've always been friends but somehow it almost felt unbalanced, like she was taking advantage of him even thought she wasn't at all.
Despite hating this trope all of my life, it was actually the shining, most enjoyable portion of the book for me. Things were messy, but real. I loved seeing Eve come around from shock to worry all the way to excitement and love and really feeling all of those feelings. I really loved where most of the characters ended up.
I haven't read reviews yet but I feel like my feelings and review are not going to be the same as others, but who knows! Same rating, different reasons.