The Night We Met

Larissa is a gig economy survivor — plasma donation, snackle boxes, mystery shopping, a side hustle involving a pig in a hot tub — working herself ragged to pay off debt her father racked up stealing her identity, while also supporting her recovering mother. After a concert one night she has to choose between two rides home: boisterous, charming personal trainer Mike, or his quiet pharmacist best friend Chris. She goes with Mike, and he becomes her boyfriend. Simple enough.
Except Chris keeps showing up. He drives Larissa and her mom to the hospital at 5am because Mike is hungover. He digs out her car after a snowstorm. He quietly memorizes her severe nut allergy and works around it without making a thing of it. He co-parents a show more slightly unhinged rescue Yorkie they find filthy behind the hospital. He discovers she's the only other person who's ever read their obscure 1986 science-fiction novel. He rates bread with her on a handwritten scoreboard — pumpernickel a ten out of ten. The connection between them builds slowly and naturally, and both of them know exactly what it means and exactly why they can't act on it. Mike is Chris's best friend. Set in the same interconnected "Abbyverse" as Say You'll Remember Me, with characters from that book making appearances. Published March 24, 2026. Took Jimenez two years to write.

[May contain spoilers]
The crisis point that forces everything into the open is a severe anaphylactic episode for Larissa — and in the aftermath, every small protective thing Chris has been quietly doing for months without drawing attention to it suddenly recontextualizes in a devastating way. Mike's arc is handled with real complexity — he's never a villain, just someone who isn't right for Larissa, and watching him unravel is genuinely sad. Chris is carrying grief of his own that the novel touches on without fully exploring, which some readers wished had gone deeper. Mike eventually gets his own book next.
What I think: This is Jimenez at her slow-burn best — the obstacle is loyalty and decency rather than misunderstanding or manufactured drama, and that makes it feel genuinely earned. The working-class financial detail gives Larissa real texture, and the bread-rating scene is the kind of small perfect moment Jimenez does better than almost anyone. It's warm, funny, pining-heavy, and emotionally satisfying. show less

Absolutely amazing. The hard truth of an addiction, of enabling, and trying to be a good friend. Abby writes this beautiful telling of one choice can alter your life.

The love Chris and Mike have for each other is unreal. Their friendship is everything. It's not shown very often the bond between male friendships, it was refreshing to see how Chris wanted the best for Mike, going out of his way to help with anything, even if he was covering for him. Not knowing he was actually hurting their relationship.

Larissa is Mike's girlfriend. Her childhood wasn't the best, her father was an alcoholic and took everything from her and her mother, she doesn't want to end up being like her mother.

So raw, with real world problems this has to be by far show more my favorite from Abby. She tackled those hard conversations, those awkward moments. Changing your life for the one you truly love. ❤️ show less

I tend to pick up Abby Jimenez's books, because I've com to find she does careful research of social issues and "invisible" health issues, that so many people have. The main character in this book among other issues the book addresses, has a health complication that I do as well, though with a different trigger. I thought this was handled very well in the book. It can be mild or life threatening, and is very, very scary for those who have it, as well for as their loved ones, or anyone around them.
The other thing the author does, which is very considerate to her readers, is give mention of possible health or social trigger warnings for elements within the story, in a note at the front of the book. Then she proceeds to write a good story, show more so win-win. show less

Boy meets girl. Girl dates his best friend. predictable in places, but moves along at a good pace. Good exploration of male friendships. Themes: self-destructive behavior, co-dependence, anaphylaxis, forgiveness, growth

It was a lot of unrelenting angst that even a murderous Yorkie could not uplift.

I really loved this book. So much better than Say You'll Remember me in my opinion. The characters were well-developed and their actions made sense. Loved the two pages with Chris and Mike at the end.

Chris and Mike are best friends. Leaving a concert one evening, they meet Larissa, who decides to go out with Mike. Then, Mike starts asking Chris for favors, which involve taking Larissa places. Chris and Larissa become close friends, and Chris secretly wishes he were dating her. However, he knows that doing so would destroy his friendship with Mike.
Mike is dealing with issues that damage his relationship with Larissa and his friends.
Depression, alcoholism, and deadbeat dads are all addressed.
I enjoyed it.