Genre: Romance/Contemporary Romance

Rating: ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ll read anything Abby Jimenez writes. Even when a story doesn’t completely hit for me, she’s still an immaculate writer. Her character development goes deeper than most romance novels, and she has a spectacular knack for pairing heavy real-life topics with laugh-out-loud humor. Say You’ll Remember Me was no different.

The book started a little slow for me, and I admit I doubted Abby at first. But by the end, I was hooked. The writing was strong, the characters were layered yet likable, and even the side dynamics felt fleshed out, something many romances struggle to pull off.

In this novel, we meet Samantha and Xavier, who share a spectacular one-night date. It’s meant to end there, Samantha is moving from Minnesota to California to care for her mother. But instead of goodbye, they decide to try long-distance, following their relationship as they navigate 2,000 miles apart.

I do have two critiques. First, Xavier pursues Samantha despite her saying multiple times she doesn’t think continuing is a good idea. I get that there wouldn’t be a story otherwise, but as a woman, it made me uncomfortable. I like being pursued and fought for, but ignoring boundaries, even with good intentions, always raises a red flag for me.

Second, I was surprised and disappointed by the lack of a third-act breakup. With how drained and miserable they both seemed trying to make long-distance work, it would have made sense for one of them to walk away. A breakup followed by a grand gesture could have added some emotional payoff and clarified that their choice to be together was about love, not obligation. We do get a grand gesture, but I found myself wanting a touch more drama.

Overall, this was another stellar Abby Jimenez rom-com. It wasn’t my favorite of hers, but it wasn’t my least favorite either. It’s a breezy, heartfelt summer read, funny, tender, and quick to get through. If you love romance with both humor and substance, I’d recommend picking it up.

Have you read Abby Jimenez? Which of her books is your favorite?