Say You'll Remember Me

Gr 8 Up—In this sweet teen romance, the governor's rebellious daughter falls for a bad boy with a heart of gold. Sparks fly when Drix helps Elle avoid men who are harassing her at the state fair, and she's still interested after she finds out about his troubled past. Drix pled guilty to an armed robbery he didn't commit to protect his family. Elle's father, the governor of Kentucky, recruits Drix for a program to rehabilitate teens who have committed crimes. The two teens are thrown together repeatedly despite Elle's parents' objections to their budding relationship. Meanwhile, Drix attempts to deal with his precarious family situation and eventually risks danger to clear his name. Elle fights for more independence as her parents use her for publicity and political gain, though all she really wants to do is learn coding and invent apps. Drix may have a rough past that includes drugs, drinking, and seducing girls, but he now rescues puppies and will do anything for Elle. Romance fans will enjoy the family drama, forbidden love, and the steamy attraction between the two main characters—though no scenes go beyond passionate kisses. "Elle has lips made for sin" and "does he also feel this gravitational pull for my body to come closer to his?" might cause non-romance fans to roll their eyes, but it's a light, enjoyable read, if rather lengthy.