And I will be that witness to your life: SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME.

Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a touching and bittersweet love story between Samantha and Xavier, made all the more poignant because they spend so much of it apart. They meet just before Samantha is set to move from Minnesota to California to care for her mother, who is battling dementia. Their one unforgettable date—including an accidental lock-in at an escape room—ends with an agreement to part ways. But their connection proves too strong, and soon they find themselves navigating a long-distance relationship.

Unlike some of Abby Jimenez’s other novels, this one leans more into quiet emotion than witty banter or sizzling chemistry. It's a soulful, heartfelt romance that also pays tribute to the many forms of family—both the ones we’re born into and the ones we choose. Xavier, a devoted veterinarian, carries the weight of a difficult upbringing, while Samantha is surrounded by her large family as she puts her life on hold to care for her mother.

Animal lovers will appreciate the many furry friends featured throughout, thanks to Xavier’s profession and Samantha’s open heart. While there are charming, funny moments scattered throughout, this story is more tender than lighthearted. It’s beautifully written and emotionally resonant, but not quite the breezy, beachy read some may expect.

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And maybe your resurgence is the greatest triumph that you'll know: JUST FOR THE SUMMER.

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Justin's known for helping women find their soulmates--as in, after they break up with him, they find "the one." And thanks to Reddit, everyone knows his story. The same thing seems to happen to Emma, so she messages him on Reddit to relate. Before they know it, the two are formulating a plan: they'll date for a bit and then break up, thereby guaranteeing each will find their soulmate.

Suddenly, Emma, a travel nurse, is in Minnesota with her best friend Maddie, where they're living on a small, impractical island. Maddie is the only one who sees through Emma's unresolved trauma and baggage from her difficult childhood, so when Emma's mom shows up, Maddie wants to protect her friend. Justin, meanwhile, is trying to deal with the newfound stress of raising his three younger siblings.

SUMMER covers a bunch of serious topics, ranging from Emma's attachment issues and depression to Justin's siblings and their struggles, but does so in a funny and enjoyable way. Emma and Justin are flawed, sure, and you find yourself frustrated with them, but also able to forgive, because (gasp) these characters are real, with actual backstories, personalities, and foibles that give them reasons for their feelings. Suddenly, the "issues" that pop up in other romances seem like cardboard.

Justin and Emma's chemistry is off the charts, but thankfully there's no instalove here: they converse online first and spend plenty of time getting to know each other. It's impossible not to fall for Justin's sweet nature or root for Emma to settle down. Even better, there are some serious laugh-out-loud moments here, with both Emma and Justin, but also the side characters. Justin's mom and her best friend, for instance, crackle with energy and humor (one word: raccoons). This book just makes you feel happy.

It's impossible to truly sum up this novel, but it's a gorgeous love story steeped in humor and real life. Jimenez's writing is flawless. 4.5+ stars.

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Someone said kiss her and so you did: YOURS TRULY.

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars

Dr. Briana Ortiz is miserable. Her divorce from her cheating husband is just about to be finalized. She's living in her childhood home with her sick brother, Benny, who desperately needs a kidney donor just to stay alive. And the promotion she was just about guaranteed? It looks like she has competition from the new doctor, Jacob Maddox, who seems to be taking over her hospital.

"This year was going to be my villain origin story, I just knew it." ~Briana

As always, Abby Jimenez delivers a charming love story. Just when Briana thinks she cannot stand Jacob, he writes her an amazing letter. The two grow close and he even donates a kidney to Benny. In turn, she agrees to "fake date" him to prove that he's over the fact that his brother is dating his ex-girlfriend (not complicated at all, right)? I loved this book, though PART OF YOUR WORLD was just a tad better for me. TRULY dragged a bit with the miscommunication between Jacob and Briana; a few times, I wanted to shake her for being unable to talk to him and not trusting the world's best guy due to her past.

Because, seriously, Jacob was a dream. He is kind, loving, attentive, and sweet. He has anxiety, which was portrayed incredibly well and very realistically. Briana's inability to trust, though--oh my gosh. Just let this man love you! So, yes, our rocky road to HEA was a bit much sometimes. This meant it didn't always feel as witty as some other Jimenez books, though there are some moments with road kill (yup) that were pretty awesome. And Jacob's wonderfully crazy family. Plus we had some great cameos from Alexis and Daniel from WORLD! There's plenty of serious times here too, especially with Benny's illness and Jacob's anxiety. The ending to this one is excellent. 4.25 stars.



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You got a heart like mine: LIFE'S TOO SHORT.

Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A touching and heartfelt romance

Vanessa is a famous travel blogger/YouTuber. She spends her life as she wants, seizing the moment. She lost her mom and sister to a genetic disease and--not knowing if she will wind up like them--doesn't want to waste a moment of her life. But when her troubled half sister leaves Vanessa custody of her infant daughter, Grace, Vanessa finds herself stuck at home. She's forced to deal with her sister and her father and confront her illness. But she also meets Adrian, her handsome next-door neighbor. A lawyer, Adrian turns up on her doorstep, and suddenly he and Vanessa become inseparable. He's helping care for Grace as they share take-out dinners and their life stories. Vanessa knows she cannot get close to Adrian, but she's finding it really hard not to.

I loved the first two books in this loosely tied series. This was probably my least favorite of the three, but I still enjoyed it. Jimenez writes excellent slow burn romances, and this one was no exception. Plus, it offers excellent escapism while delving into serious subjects, which I always love about her work.

Adrian was my favorite here--dependable, sweet Adrian. Both characters have a lot baggage in this book, so be prepared. Beyond her genetic illness woes, there's a lot going on with Vanessa's family. Some of the way the book deals with mental illness is excellent; sometimes, I'm not so sure. And Adrian has his own issues with his family as well. As for Vanessa, her attitude and approach toward her potential genetic illness was a little hard for me to handle. It's one of those things where you just want to take the character and try to shake some sense into them. Yes, Jimenez provides some backstory and reasoning for Vanessa's attitude, but... this was the one part of the book that was hard for me to swallow. (And it was, um, key to the plot.)

If I overlooked that piece, Vanessa and Adrian were cute together. There's lots of the patented Jimenez banter, romance, and cuteness. Someone needs to learn to trust again, someone needs to come out of their shell. But, because it's Jimenez, it's done in this adorable, funny way tinged with a heartfelt touch. And this time there's a baby! (Who is amazingly portable and never causes any trouble--wish my kids were like that, ha.) The book can be heartbreaking at times. I honestly adored Adrian, his outlook on the world, and how supportive he was of Vanessa. We could all use an Adrian to take care of us.

If you like romances, you'll enjoy this one. It's cute and sweet, without being sickeningly so, and there are lots of moments that make you laugh. It's also serious in places, covering illness and family. It's not the best of the series, but it's worth a read. Just be prepared for some frustration with some of the characters! 3.5 stars, rounded up.

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One can only dream of a love so rare: THE HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST.

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Amazingly sexy and sweet romance

Sloan Monroe's fiance, Brandon, died two years ago, and Sloan is still hurting, a lot. Then one day she finds an adorable dog on the road--literally--and takes him home. His owner never answers her texts, and the dog, Tucker, seems to help Sloan move on. Then suddenly Tucker's owner shows up, via text, and he wants Tucker back. But Sloan's strong enough now that she's not giving up Tucker. As she starts texting with Tucker's owner, Jason, she realizes he really cares about his dog. Then Sloan also recognizes that Jason is a good guy. A really good, handsome guy. This is confirmed once they meet in person. But Jason's a musician with stardom just around the corner. Sloan needs someone here, whom she can count on. Can she really handle someone else who might leave her, again?

"I didn't cook anymore. Everyone knew that. I didn't do a lot of things anymore."

I absolutely adored this book. It was just what I needed at the time I picked it up. Jimenez gives us such a happy and sexy romance with two characters with awesome chemistry. There's the best blend of small mix-ups and humor, and you cannot help but root for Sloan and Jason from the very beginning (especially if you've read The Friend Zone). Knowing that Sloan is completely broken from Brandon's death while Jason is confident and embarking on a new career, it's completely understandable that Sloan can't risk losing herself again. Watching her find happiness--even knowing it could be gone again in a second--is beautiful, and both of these characters are so real, so true.

"I'd been lonely and attached to someone invisible for two years. I wouldn't do it again. I couldn't do it again."

While this book is emotional, it's also very sweet, and, wow, sexy at times. Jason is just a darn good guy, seemingly too good to be true, and I found myself willing him and Sloan together, desperately wanting her to get a second chance at happiness. Throw in the adorable Tucker and there's basically nothing not to love about this book. Great characters, great romance, great humor--it's all there. I loved it from beginning to end. 4.5 stars.

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There I stand with the upper hand: THE FRIEND ZONE

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

My rating: 4+ of 5 stars


Kristen Petersen is a no-nonsense kind of girl. She's loyal to her best friend, Sloan, and worried about finally living with her boyfriend, who has been deployed for most of their relationship. She's also struggled for years with medical issues and is about to have a procedure that will leave her unable to have children. Then she meets Josh, the best friend and best man of Sloan's fiance, Brandon. Thrown together as they plan Sloan and Brandon's wedding, Kristen realizes she has feelings for Josh that she's never felt for anyone else. He's funny, kind, and puts up with all her quirks. But Josh wants a big family in the future. So Kristen distances herself from him. But the more time they spend together, the harder and harder it becomes to keep up the boundaries she's trying so hard to enforce.

The Friend Zone is one of those books that has been everywhere, but I clearly wasn't paying total attention to the plot. This is not your standard rom-com. The last note in my bookly app for this book reads, "fun sad enjoyed," and that really sums it all up. I found this one to be wonderfully written, much sadder than I expected, richly witty, rather dirty, and quite an enjoyable read. It wasn't at all what I went in expecting, but it was really more. Apparently there's a second book coming out soon, delving more into Sloan's story, and I'll certainly be reading that too.

Kristen is a tough character. She drove me crazy at first. I'm not a fan of books where so much could be resolved if someone just told someone else their secret. Sure, they may have their reasons for not wanting to spill, but good grief. Enough already! Luckily, Kristen was also a self-made businesswoman, really funny, a fully-fleshed out character, and easy to get hangry, which I could identify with (perhaps too much). She's a trip.

The friendship between Sloan and Kristen is a great part of the story--it's nice to see two women have a relationship that isn't marred by in-fighting or one that isn't based just on boys. It's real and flawed and, like much of the book, has its funny and sad moments. Josh is also a wonderful character, and, truly, he was a patient guy. The book's coverage of infertility is, mostly, quite well-done.

Overall, this was a strong read: funny and heartbreaking while featuring two characters with strong voices. It covers several serious topics without losing its way, and it's nearly impossible not to root for the main couple, even you want to shake Kristen once in a while. 4 stars.

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