Say You'll Remember Me : Book Review

Book Review: Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Here’s my first book review for 2026! I’ve been obsessing about making a book journal and figured I should just publish my thoughts on the blog instead. I wasn’t able keep up putting book reviews last year but I’ll try harder this year.

I was first introduced to Abby Jimenez on TikTok because of her sassy dog, Tess. Since then, Abby has quietly become an inspiration to me. We share a few similarities. We are both bakers and authors, and whatever Abby does, she does it well. Naturally, I was curious about her books, and after seeing Say You’ll Remember Me mentioned countless times throughout 2025, I finally picked it up.

Based purely on the pastel-colored cover and Santa Monica-inspired design, I expected a quirky, lighthearted romcom. Lately, I have been gravitating toward easy romance reads as a form of escapism. After a long day’s work, I like immersing myself in small-town, picturesque love stories. While the opening chapters did not immediately hook me, I was intrigued by the idea of a Rhysand-looking veterinarian randomly meeting a fiercely protective cat mom. What stood out early on was Sam’s feistiness toward Xavier when it came to Pooter the cat. That dynamic was fun and engaging.

Contrary to my expectations, the overall vibe of the book felt heavy. The colorful cover suggested something light, but Abby took a much more emotionally dense approach. The constant back-and-forth struggles between Sam and Xavier felt exhausting at times and, in my opinion, a bit overdone. The issues kept piling up, not just because of their long-distance relationship, but also because of Sam’s situation with her mother.

At its core, Say You’ll Remember Me is about finding love despite overwhelming circumstances. Samantha and Xavier navigate the realities of a long-distance relationship while also dealing with the emotional weight of caring for a family member with dementia. That alone sets a serious tone for what might otherwise be considered a romcom.

The pacing of the book felt uneven. It moved quickly at the beginning, slowed significantly in the middle, and then rushed toward the end. As I approached the final chapters, I kept waiting for a thicker plot to unfold, but it never quite did. The middle dragged as the realities of distance and caregiving piled up, while the happily-ever-after ending felt underdeveloped. That said, I still appreciated the fact that it ended on a hopeful note.

The plot felt both predictable and surprising. Of course, Sam and Xavier were going to find their way back to each other. That was never in doubt. What surprised me was the lack of a deeper or more transformative turning point. I found myself expecting a bigger emotional separation or a longer passage of time before their reunion, but the story chose a more straightforward resolution.

One character who truly stood out to me was Tristan. I loved his sassy, no-nonsense personality. He says exactly what he thinks, without sugarcoating, and more often than not, he is right. On a more personal level, the portrayal of caring for a loved one with dementia deeply resonated with me. My dad had dementia before he passed, and Abby captured the emotional and logistical realities of that experience very well. The way the family worked as a team before the grandmother’s passing, and how everything slowly unraveled afterward, felt painfully real.

Xavier experienced the most noticeable growth throughout the story. His backstory explains how deeply he values stability and success, and how his clinic represents everything he worked for. Watching him wrestle with the idea of walking away from that life for love was compelling. I also appreciated Hank’s role in the story. His character came full circle, and his influence on Xavier, both as a child and as an adult, was quietly profound.

Samantha, however, was the character I struggled to connect with the most. She seemed quick to push Xavier away at the first sign of trouble, while Xavier consistently fought harder to keep the relationship alive. That imbalance made it difficult for me to fully root for them as a couple.

Emotionally, this book was heavier than I expected, yet I could not put it down. I read it in one day, overnight, despite feeling that the plot could have been stronger. One of my favorite moments was the chemistry between Sam and Xavier in the UFO escape room scene. I just wish that level of connection had been built on more throughout the book. Even though the ending felt rushed, I was happy that Xavier finally got the ending he deserved after everything he endured.

Abby Jimenez’s writing style is easily digestible and intimate. Say You’ll Remember Me is an easy read that works well for vacations or nighttime reading. She excels at conveying emotion, especially when it comes to Xavier’s internal struggles. That said, the obvious use of trendy phrases like “ick” and “love that for me” felt forced at times, as if trying too hard to appeal to a younger audience.

While Abby describes Santa Monica and California well, I wished she had fully immersed the reader in the sights, sounds, and seasons of both Santa Monica and Minneapolis. It felt like a missed opportunity to make the settings more vivid and atmospheric.

One of the book’s strongest elements was its portrayal of dementia and caregiving. Samantha’s emotional struggle felt realistic and honest. Where the story fell short for me was in the romantic development. Xavier’s love for Sam sometimes came across as obsessive without enough emotional depth to justify how quickly and deeply it formed. The piling up of issues eventually became exhausting, to the point where I found myself skimming certain sections.

Despite my critiques, I rated this book a 3.8 out of 5. I finished it in a single day and appreciated the happy ending for all the characters. While I would not reread it or necessarily recommend it, I am very much looking forward to reading more of Abby Jimenez’s work.

This book is best suited for readers looking for an easy-to-read romance, perfect for flights or vacations, as long as they are prepared for heavier themes surrounding illness and caregiving. My biggest takeaway came from Hank, who said he would give up everything just to spend one more day with his deceased wife. That moment was a powerful turning point for Xavier and ultimately for the story itself.

Say You’ll Remember Me fell slightly short of my expectations, especially given Abby Jimenez’s reputation. Still, it was a compelling first introduction to her work, and I am excited to explore her earlier titles this year.