Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez- Book Review
Tropes: Great banter, slow burn romance, long distance romance, love at first sight, cinnamon roll MMC, plot twists, grumpy x sunshine
Genre: Rom-com
Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spice: .5 🌶️
My Spoiler-Free Review
I’m not normally a fan of rom-com books because very few are truly funny, but Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez genuinely is. The FMC (female main character), Samantha, works as a social media manager for a bougey mustard company and the entire book is sprinkled with her witty mustard social media posts. The banter is bantering, and the chemistry between the two main characters is amazing. I received a copy of this book in my Probably Smut subscription, so I was somewhat surprised that the smut level was quite low. Disappointing low, really, because the burn was slow and by the end I was really pulling for Samantha and her golden retriever boyfriend, Xavier.
I listened to this book on audible and the delivery was fantastic. Christine Lakin and Matt Lanter performed the duet. When there was a male part, Matt spoke, and when there was a female part, Christine spoke. It was perfectly executed, and I was so engaged I couldn’t turn it off.
My Spoiler-y Review
At the beginning of the book, the FMC, Samantha, shows up to see a veterinarian with a kitten in her bra. The hot vet, Xavier, is immediately taken with her. Unfortunately, the kitten is missing a crucial body part and will need to be put down. Samantha is deeply offended that Xavier doesn’t think she can raise the money for so costly a surgery– which will need to be performed by a specialist– so she endeavors to raise the money for a new butthole for her kitten, and successfully accomplishes her goal. (See what I mean by funny? Jiminez even finds a way to make a dying kitten funny.) Several weeks later she shows back up in the vet’s office to show off the kitten’s new butthole to Xavier and to get the kitten clearance to fly, since she will be going on a plane to see her family the next day. Xavier admits he underestimated her and asks her on a date for that night, and Samantha happily accepts.
Xavier and Samantha’s date is one for the record books. Xavier has to jump into a lake to rescue her phone, then they get locked in an escape room and Samantha almost misses her flight. Xavier is head over heels for her by the end of the night and agrees to take Samantha to the airport. Upon returning her to her apartment, Xavier finds it almost empty and realizes that Samantha is actually MOVING to California from Minnesota so that she can help take care of her mother (who has dementia). He’s absolutely devastated.
The two can’t stop thinking about each other, and Xavier decides to visit. Both are hoping they’ll discover a deal-breaker so that they can get over the other, but the opposite happens. The two eventually decide to make a long-distance relationship work, but it’s a mess. Neither can move from their city, and they’re both miserable. Finally, an imperfect solution presents itself and the book ends with a predictably happy ending.
Summary for Say You’ll Remember Me
If you’re looking for a quick read that is entertaining and will take you through the full emotional spectrum, this book is for you. Be sure to check the trigger warnings because it does deal with some difficult topics (animal abuse, death/illness of family member, etc.). Say You’ll Remember Me was my first Abby Jimenez book, and I’m excited to read and review more.
Until next time,
Happy reading & happy wandering —
Luci
Owner & Book Curator of the Wanderlust Wandering Book Bazaar
Book Club Questions for Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
- How did the title Say You’ll Remember Me resonate with you after finishing the book? Did it take on new meaning as the story progressed?
- Jimenez sprinkles in frequent references to ACOTAR/ Rhysand throughout the book. Did it enhance or detract from the story?
- If you were Samantha, would you have said yes to the date even though you knew you were moving away from Minneapolis?
- Abby Jimenez is known for blending romance with deeper emotional issues. What real-world topics did this book address, and how effectively do you think Samantha and Xavier handled them?
- Were there any conflicts with Samantha’s family you felt were especially frustrating?
- Samantha’s dad was in a sticky situation. Should the family should have allowed him the freedom to date?
- Were there any solutions for Samantha and Xavier to be together that you thought of that they didn’t?
- Which of Xavier’s scenes were your favorite “green flag moments?”
- Would you consider Samantha to be a red flag or green flag girlfriend?
- Did any part of the story feel especially relatable to your own life or someone you know?