Welcome to Litsy!

My nephew made me a Yoda bookmark using their 3D printer.😁

I might have skipped a session and camped out with my co-worker in the ballroom so we could get good seats for Abby Jimenez' keynote. We lucked out, she's taking pictures and doing autographs beforehand.

Up next because 1. I can't believe I haven't read this Abby Jimenez yet and 2. I get to see Abby Jimenez speak at a library conference this week. Keynote speakers also include children's authors Laura Numeroff🍪🐁 and R.L. Stine🫣, YA author Neil Shusterman, and cookbook author Molly Yeh. I think it's going to be a great conference.

Wow… this book was so good and more of an emotional roller coaster than your typical romance! I loved everything about it and could have read another 400 pages with these characters! Another home run for Jimenez!!

I got to meet Abby Jimenez…. She is sooooo sweet!!

So excited to dive in!

Typical Jimenez, so if you enjoy her storytelling, you‘ll probably like this one. The dementia storyline was kinda difficult as it hits a little close to my reality, but overall I liked this story. The narrators did an excellent job with the audiobook.

The cover makes it look like a frothy romcom, but it hits some big issues hard. Samantha & Xavier fall in love, but she's moving to be a full-time caregiver for a parent w/dementia. It‘s hard to put down & I wanted to read it, but it was also painful & a bit depressing if you're in the midst of a similar situation. The lengths the pair goes to felt a bit ridiculous, but if you can suspend disbelief & ignore the characters' burnout, it's good.

Abby Jimenez is just sooooo good every time

A great read; an emotional roller coaster. Xavier and Samantha have a meet cute shortly before she is permanently moving from Minnesota to California to help with the daily care of her mother who is deep in the throes of dementia. Long distance relationships are hard! Even though I liked both of them, I think my favorite character was Hank!

The story deals with some heavy topics but still manages to feel like a light, summer read.
I don‘t have exactly the same sense of humor as the author, but that ok because this hero is perfection
💕💕💕

I‘m trying to get all my summer reads finished before the end of my vacation, because I know for a fact that once I go home, I‘ll be in the mood for all things autumnal 🍁🍂

This book absolutely shattered my heart.
Samantha is moving home to LA to help care for her mother with early onset dementia.
She meets Xavier right before she leaves, and it just so happens to be painfully clear that she has met THE ONE. The novel follows them through the ups and downs of life in a long distance relationship with no end in sight.
The raw, pure love in this book is palpable.

#BookBracket @Catsandbooks

#BookBracket

Abby Jimenez is one of my go-to authors. Immediately add her book to your tbr lists. Comedy and romance have never joined together in quite the way that she writes them. Like falling head first into a movie-for-your-brain as soon as you crack open one of her books. It's not all sunshine and rainbows though. Her characters deal with very real and serious topics. Alzheimers, an abusive childhood, financial woes.
*my mustard consumption has tripled

Not a bad way to spend a summer day. 🩵🩷❤️

#WeeklyFavorites

Jimenez always makes me feel like I‘m experiencing the story with the characters. Difficult topics handled beautifully.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#ShananigansReads25
#14Books14Weeks @Liz_M

😍😍😍

Loved this!

Finished this one on 5/4. I started in April and it was a bit of a struggle for me to read. It was a really uncomfortable subject matter and the vet stuff was a bit triggering for me (with losing our dog last year). So it‘s a low pick for me.

My flowers are not doing so well after the storm yesterday. They lost all their petals!

Officially caught up on May books reviews!

I love everything Abby Jimenez writes. This was a bit unusual as the relationship pairing was perfect, but everything else wasn‘t. Lots of dramatic obstacles to overcome, and I was here for it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Too many “contemplative gazes” for me, but it was an enjoyable enough story. As usual, Jimenez broaches some difficult, relatable familial circumstances along side a romance. This was more of the former, less of the latter. I was okay with that.

I didn‘t expect to be bawling my eyes out on a Friday night but should have known better with Abby. Hot Veterinarian Xavier meets Mustard PR woman, Samantha. They have an imperfectly perfect 1st date. When he drops her off at her apartment he finds out she‘s moving 2000miles away. They decide to make it work long distance. This is sweet and funny, but man, there is a dementia storyline in here that ripped my heart out. Jimenez is always a pick!

I really love Abby Jimenez books. Her writing resonates with me. The characters feel so authentic, even supporting characters. They‘re not all 100% lovable, but they feel like real people you could meet. I also love that her stories have depth and realistic struggles. She is absolutely an auto-buy author for me.

Thanks for the tag Deb!

1. I finished Say You‘ll Remember Me this week and placed 4 more of her novels on the wish list: (2 - 5)

Happy Friday!

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

Play? @Read4life @Kshakal @TheSpineView

Very sad and devastating. A lot of family drama + trauma and constantly creating new obstacles, problems, and drama... which overshadowed the love story.

This is very on brand for this author.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

I love a good romance, and this was absolutely amazing. Just a little bit of spice and so much emotion. Abby is one of my favorite automatic-read authors, and I didn‘t realize how much I needed this story. Book #38 in 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It‘s easy to get lost in an Abby Jimenez book; I really enjoy her writing. This seems like a story that a lot of people will be able to relate to, but with such a focus on the familial situations, to me it felt like it lacked a little bit of chemistry between the couple. Of course it was moving, though, and made me tear up! 🎧

Not my favorite Jimenez book, not the usual heat, banter & humor of her destined couple. The story talks more about the bigger family concerns that Xavier & Sam have going on & what draws them together as a couple. Sam‘s mom is in the early stages of dementia. As someone that lost her dad suddenly to a form of dementia last year it hit close to home. I do like how Jimenez discussed the reality‘s that many families have to face when someone they

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Of course gonna give Abby Jimenez all the stars!! Her books always make me go through so many emotions….laughter, Love, joy, sadness, happiness!!!😍😍

Oof, this one tore out my heart and then put it back together. What happens when you meet your person and have the best date of your life and move across the country the next day? I fell so hard for these characters and Jimenez really put them through the wringer. She always does a great job exploring deeper themes and my goodness, she can write a story! amy first pool read of the season, highly recommend!

Absolutely left me emotional through the entire book, as I am with most of Abby's titles, since she always has characters that I connect with so deeply.

A little smidge disappointed, but I think it‘s because my expectations for an Abby J. book are so high. The focus seemed to be on the problems the characters were facing instead of them building a real relationship. For me, it misses the humor and banter that I think makes Abby J. such a strong author. Still a pick, definitely, but my least favorite from her by far.

A beautiful, not always easy contemporary romance. A couple that is perfect together but live 2000 miles apart and are both dealing with family trauma. Definitely check content notes before reading this one. I definitely highly recommend and am such a fan of Abby Jimenez! 5⭐️

As someone who has lost a parent to dementia, reading this was both heartbreaking/validating. So many emotions—grief, guilt, helplessness, & the anger that simmers when you feel you‘re losing someone in slow motion. There were scenes that hit so close to home. But there was also comfort seeing those feelings on the page—proof they‘re not just mine. That I‘m not alone. That‘s the power of books—remind us of our shared humanity.

Oh gosh, a family caring for their parent with early onset dementia must be a difficult test of family strength. My parents and two siblings have passed away (none with dementia) I know we would not have been that unit who could live together as adults (ailing parent or not). I‘m fascinated by families, even fictional, who make the attempt. Oh yeah, there‘s a love story here too - and a greatly named dog!

This is a tricky book to rate. The characters, as always for Jimenez, are instantly & impeccably realized. There was banter, cute animals, and the beginning was fun.But in the middle & the end, the plot was harder to get lost in because it was so.much.difficulty.I did like that it made me look at the little things in life, the small moments in relationships & with family, and appreciate them more. And I‘d still say it‘s worth it‘s worth the read.

Is it normal to refresh the app continuously? 🤪

Soft pick.

I love all of Abby Jimenez‘s books and love that she doesn‘t shy from tough situations. This book is no different (there is a list of trigger warnings at the beginning). As much as I loved Samantha & Xavier, there really wasn‘t any real conflict. The obstacle was external, set-up basically at the beginning, and then I felt the story just floated along. So 3.75 stars. Summer & Playlist are still my faves.

4 ⭐️s - Enjoyed reading, but it has been my least favorite of hers so far.

Jimenez always mixes real world problems with her once in a lifetime romance. This time it was almost too much reality. And yet….no one does it better or with more sincerity. Just a beautiful story.Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy.

Abby Jimenez never disappoints! I know that there will be a happy ending, however I also like how her books don‘t shy away from how hard life is.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance e-galley.