When reading romance books, readers expect to be walked through a relationship with ups and downs and love and hurt, but eventually everything ends up working out and characters live happily ever after.

Sometimes the storyline follows friends-to-lovers, second chance love or another love trope. The novel Say You Will Remember Me by Abby Jimenez walks readers through a relationship of being with the right person but at the wrong time. 

The story follows Samantha and Xavier meeting when they are both in Minnesota. Samantha needs a veterinarian for a cat that she found on the side of the road and wanted to keep, and Xavier is happy to help, even if it means becoming closer than just a vet and patient relationship. What he does not realize is that she will be moving to California the next day. 

This novel not only shows the hardships that go into long-distance relationships but also the struggle of having personal responsibilities that conflict with each of them from trying to live in the same town. 

I like how the book does not sugarcoat long-distance relationships, and it really emphasizes how difficult it can be to make one work.  

Having a family member that is sick and needs care for twenty-four-seven can be very challenging. This book not only showcases Samantha and Xavier’s relationship but also explores the stress and the emotional drain it takes to take care of someone with dementia. 

The subplots in the novel are meaningful and emotional as Samatha has to take care of her mom with dementia, so she cannot go to Minnesota to see Xavier. This makes it hard for her to balance her relationships in her life because she wants to be able to take an active part in all of them. 

I found this book entertaining, and it was an easy read with the plot simple to follow and including enjoyable characters.

I liked that the book gives both the main characters points of view, so readers get to understand both sides of the relationship and feelings.   

What I wish was different was the pacing. This book was a slow burn and went a little too slowly with the same details over and over again. Some of the scenes were repetitive, with the same details of Samatha and Xavier having to leave each other after seeing each other. Because of the long-distance relationship, they had to keep planning trips to see each other but these scenes ended up sounding the same. 

All and all, I expected more from this book because the summary of the book sounded more entertaining than when reading and for how long the book was thought there would be more detail, but I would recommend it to someone who wants to read a book with a smooth plot and subplots with emotional insights into family health issues, yet still gets to follow along the relationship.