Sometimes coming home is what we need to do to heal old wounds.

Dr. Nora Stuart is a respected gastroenterologist in Boston. She grew up as an ugly duckling on Scupper Island off the coast of Maine and hasn't been back to the island in 15 years.

But after she's hit by a van PLUS then overhears her boyfriend making plans to meet with a sexy nurse, she takes her dog and heads back to Scupper Island where her aloof mother lives along with her troubled niece. And Nora starts to find out what's really important in life.

I loved this story. It has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments in it. There's a dinner party from hell sequence that was hilarious and another dinner with a ham and a bird that is still making me laugh.

But author Higgins' books aren't just funny. They have some very special dramatic moments too.

I love the characters. I love the descriptions of the island, its patois, the romance, the laughter, and the drama. This is another winner by Higgins.

I received this book from HQN Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read the book and leave an unbiased review.

From the first few pages when I met Nora and got a feel for her life as a gastroenterologist (I love that this was her specialty!), I was hooked. There's something about the way this author writes characters that enabled me to immediately connect with Nora and want to follow her and see what happened. When I connect with a character, I'm on board and can't wait to see where the story leads and that's exactly what happened within the first 20 pages of this one.

I really went into this story not knowing too much which I highly recommend doing and that's why I just provided a very short part of the blurb. The story really takes off after Nora is hit by a car (no spoiler this is in blurb) and returns home to her small seaside community in Maine where her mother is as grouchy and standoffish as ever. Side note though...Nora's mom really grew on me and I loved that she had a pet bird named Tweety who clearly was the love of her life! Here's where the story really shines and takes off because the setting is fantastic, I loved everything about this small Maine town. I could picture the shops, restaurants and water and I do love a story that's set on the water...any water.

For me, what made this such an excellent read (outside of Nora) were the secondary characters. There were so many characters that circled this story and all were clearly drawn and layered. That's not to say all were likable because they weren't and that's what I loved. I'm not telling you too much about the plot but suffice it to say Nora's return after 15 years stirs the pot in more ways than one. Not everyone is happy she's back and that makes for good drama. It also made for well placed humor in many parts. That being said, this wasn't a perfect book for me. I REALLY wanted to hear more from Nora's sister!  Also, there were a few times in the middle I thought the story dragged and yes there might have been some predictability to some scenes but honestly, I didn't care. I was enjoying the story and even stayed up super late to read which for me is always the sign of a must read book.

The book opens with Nora Stuart believing that she is dying. But then, she realizes that she's overhearing her current boyfriend hit on the ER nurse. That opens up her eyes that maybe she's not quite on the track that she wants to be with her life. Yes, she's an awesome gastroenterologist who graduate from Tufts and lives in Boston but... there are things left unraveled in her life.

She decides to go back to the island where she grew up, Scupper. Even if it means facing up to the demons she hasn't quite left behind; the mother who's not exactly warm and fuzzy, the daughter of her sister who is in jail, the town that thinks she had something to do with the meteoric fall of her grade's golden boy.

This was an okay story, but not up to the regular Higgins standard. I'm used to a little tears, maybe a chuckle. This book... was fairly static in the emotional ups and downs.



Three stars

This book comes out December 26

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

This is a story full of heart and hope. Nora Stuart is a great character who we relate to right from the start and keep cheering on for the entire wonderful story! Loved this book.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

4.25 Hearts Higgins is one of my go-to authors. She never disappoints and she didn’t with this one either.

Nora is having the worst day. I know we have all had those kind of days but this goes above and beyond what anyone has ever been through. First a vehicle accident that puts her in the hospital, when she wakes up her boyfriend is flirting with someone else and more. So Nora heads “home”. But she is not welcome there either. Talk about life being hard.

The characters in this story are enough to keep the reader laughing for more than half of the story. What a great read. As I started out you can’t be disappointed with a Higgins novel and this is a great one to start with if you haven’t read her before and if you have add it to the collection.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Kristan Higgins sure knows how to warm the heart and make me tear up! I started Now That You Mention It after getting home from my holiday get together and ended up reading well in to the night. NTYMI starts with a bang and is imposible to put down. Nora has a lot going on, but still manages to work through things, especially when it comes to her niece, Poe. (I would love to see Poe featured in her own book). The chemistry between her and Sully was definitely there most of the book, however I liked that NTYMI wasn't really about the romance, it was about Nora dealing with her family stuff and her own personal stuff. My only (minor) complaint about NTYMI was that a lot of the speech from her mother was written as it was spoken with an accent, i.e. "Bawb" for Bob. After the first time we meet her mother and the accent is explained that was fine, but all the other times drove me a little nuts. But that's just a small complaint for an amazing book!

I’ve been a fan of Kristan Higgins for many years. I’ve enjoyed her various books, both stand-alone novels and series. Those books were primarily romances but they always made me laugh and made the characters come alive to me so that I rejoiced as their tales ended happily.

In recent years, Ms. Higgins has moved away from romantic comedies and have ventured into the land of fictional literature. Her stories have taken on a depth that was lacking in her earlier, shorter novels.

“Now That You Mention It” is just such a novel. From it’s opening line “The first thought I had after I died was: How will my dog cope with this?”, it grabbed my attention and I found myself reading it in segments and then, at odd times of the day when I was alone, I would think through what I had read and than apply it to my own life.

I shared a lot of similar past events with Nora Stuart, the main character of the story. From abandonment issues, to being the smart but not well loved teenager, relationship issues and much more, I could relate to this character. As she progressed through her issues, I did as well. I was even in the hospital recovering from literally the point of death (from a severe pneumonia) as I started reading the book. So, coming back from the brink of death was something very much on my mind.

I laughed a lot (as I always do with Ms. Higgin’s books.) I cried even more as Nora went on her own road of discovery by searching into her past. Her relationships with mother, her sister, her niece, her father and others in her current life and in her past were explored and held up to the test of her life in the present.

To say I enjoyed this book is not enough. It made an impact on my life in a positive way. I’ve been changed by reading it. For a novel to have that kind of effect on me is unusual and is a bar that very few books have risen to. I recommend it highly.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

Fantastic novel!
The cast of characters and the small-town rustic Maine setting were a huge change from all the heroine left behind in the city. It was enjoyable to 'watch' her transform over the course of the novel, while sometimes questioning/longing for what had once been her life. There were also laugh out loud moments balanced with poignant and painful insights into the heroine's backstory that have become the hallmark of a Kristan Higgins novel, in my opinion. No spoilers here, but I will add that the romance was delightfully well-done, too.
This is one for the keeper shelf.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary advance copy.

Now That You Mention It review

Wow! This wasn’t at all what I thought it would be! Intense, emotional, and quite unexpected. The author pulls you into the characters, complete with all their failings and joys. Not a fast moving or steamy novel but rather an intense look at ordinary people who deal with life as it gets thrown at them. It took some time to set the scene but when it was done, wow!

Told from the first person as so many stories are lately, you do get to view and think from the character point of view and that enhances that picture in your mind. Almost like having a GoPro camera attached to the forehead!

Nora Stuart is a doctor in the city who was recently assaulted by an intruder. She has recovered from her external injuries somewhat, but decides to return to her hometown for more recovery time after a recent breakup. But she will have to deal with a very pragmatic mother, the memories of a father who left suddenly during her childhood, and all the idiosyncrasies of a small town where everyone has a long memory.

She gets pulled into her past almost instantly but deals with each situation mostly calmly and rationally. But it’s never a dull moment for her as things twist and turn. She realized guys can be jerks and they can be her salvation.

Such a well written, sometimes witty, and all around great story.

I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was promised or received for the review.

I was shocked when I looked at the Goodreads summary and saw this was listed as 416 pages. I finished this in 2 sittings though I would have happily finished it in 1. Higgins pulled me in right away as we see Nora go through her worries as she thinks she's dying. Obviously she isn't otherwise this would be an incredibly short book but it does set her off on some soul searching and prioritizing as well as giving the chance to get to know Nora's voice immediately.



Nora's return to Scupper Island isn't the smoothest. She's hardly welcomed with opened arms even by her mother who comes off as basically disinterested. Nora's niece Poe is downright hostile and the townspeople are stuck on a grievance that happened fifteen years ago. There was a little bit there when it felt like misery and frustration was going to become too much and I was going to get bogged down but bright spots started appearing as Nora starts becoming settled in town. My favorite of the bright spots was Nora's growing friendship with Xiowen who she had vaguely known in high school. She was pretty funny and took nothing from anyone and I loved her and Nora's Harry Potter mentions.



The story progressed in a way that felt really natural. Things didn't become rainbows and unicorns and there were more than a few steps back. But I loved Nora from the start. I loved seeing how competent she was at her profession and I found it interesting to see how she coped with a incredibly terrifying event that happened prior to the book starting. The world of Scupper Island is so vivid and real that it's hard to believe that I can't hop the ferry and go there myself. If you love contemporary fiction with a likable main character, a bit of romance, and a lot of heart this is a read you must not miss.

I'm in the minority on this one. I think I would've liked the book better if not for a number of niggling issues that killed whatever sympathy I had for the characters.

Kristan Higgins is normally an auto-buy for me, because I generally like her books. This novel isn’t one of her best, in my opinion, but it’s still pretty good.

Successful Boston gastroenterologist Nora breaks up with her ER doc boyfriend, Bobby, when she hears him flirting over her body after she was hit by exterminator’s van. (Yes, really. Pretty classic Higgins, there.) Although her life didn’t literally flash before her eyes, she decides to take a few months off and head back to the small town in Maine where she grew up to try to reconnect with her mother and her niece, Poe, while they all wait for her estranged sister Lily to get out of jail. Her hometown holds lots of bad memories for Nora: her father deserting the family, losing her bond with Lily in the aftermath of him taking off, and being bullied in high school. But once she gets there, Nora realizes that time has brought changes to the town and its residents, just as she herself has changed. She gets a fun summer job working at the local medical clinic, and there’s potential new boyfriend, too. So, Nora has to decide—who is she, and where does she really want to be?

A word of warning—the “Big Bad Event” in Nora’s past might be triggering for some people. It’s described in fairly vivid detail, and while it’s not as bad as it could be, it’s not easy to read that scene.

This book many of the characteristics that make Higgins’s books great reads. There’s a lot of humor, of course. I mean, obviously—the woman gets hit by an exterminator’s van at the start of the book! The scene where her mother’s bird Tweety meets his fate is just hilarious. (Well, maybe not if you’re a bird lover.) As usual, she also highlights family relationships—which are sometimes strained but never without hope—and Nora’s friendships with her female friends. And there’s romance, too.

I think what kept me from totally loving this book was the slow pace in the earlier chapters of the book as Nora looks back on the details of her early life in Maine. That keeps the book mired in the past for a while. Nora’s past isn’t a pleasant place, either, between her father’s leaving, her sister’s emotional desertion, and the bullying. It might be the bullying that bothered me most of all,
because teenaged Nora just seems to accept it as her due to some extent, and that was too much for me. It was a relief when she finally got mad at her classmates’ treatment of her and found a way to take action. Once the book starts to focus more on the present, though, the pace picks up, and I got more invested in the story.

If you are a Kristan Higgins fan, this book is probably a must-read. Readers who enjoy women’s fiction with a lot of humor, an exploration of family relationships, and a little romance should also give it a read.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Reading a Kristan Higgins book is like settling onto a snuggly couch with a friend and a glass of wine. You know you're going to enjoy laughter, love, and a little bit of tears. Sometimes a lot of bit of tears.

When she is hit by a pest control van and overhears her boyfriend flirt with another doctor, Nora realizes that the life she crafted for herself in Boston - she's a doctor, too, and lives with one - is neither as fulfilling nor as stable as she thought. So she packs up and heads home to Scupper Island, a coastal Maine isle where her mother, a woman as sturdy and remote as Scupper itself, still lives.

One of the things I've always enjoyed about Higgins' books is their comedic elements. Now that You Mention It has those moments, but it is a little more serious, a little more heartbreaking. This is largely due to the circumstances behind Nora's flight from Boston. She has survived something terrible, yet she doesn't quite see herself as a survivor. Rather, she still thinks of herself as a victim.

I liked how Higgans established this sense of Nora's not solely from the horrific event that occurred to her, but far earlier, when she was a kid growing up on Scupper. Nora has always seen herself as secondary, as an accessory of sorts. She saw others thrive while she retreated. Yet Higgans also shows you those moments when Nora sort of channels her mother's steady survivor attitude. You know, long before Nora does, that she will be just fine. Better, even.

Like most of Higgans' heroines, Nora is someone you wish you knew in real life. And like most of Higgans' heroes, Nora's love interest is someone who makes you swoon. He, too, has survived something awful, but unlike Nora, he hasn't let that experience defeat him in the least. He's quite dreamy.

I love Kristan Higgins' books, and this one is no exception.

Higgins is a must read for me, I just love her character development. Small town stories with a lot of heart.

Nora Stuart was a good character, I enjoyed her, but for me the story was just a little all over the place.

I love Kristan Higgins stand alone books, so when I was pitched this book to read, I didn't even have to read the synopsis, I knew I was going to read it and was pretty sure I was going to love it. And yes, I didn't love the plot, but I was at least along the ride with a good character. For me, the plot went all over the place. It almost felt like she was trying to include way too many things. There was back and forth in time and drama all over the place and it was over the top drama, so I just couldn't get into it and enjoy the ride.

I am huge fan of Kristan Higgins, so although this book won't be in my top five of hers, not loving this book won't keep me from reading her over and over again!

I first became a fan of Kristan Higgins about six years ago when I started following her on Facebook. I loved her lighthearted quirky romances. I never ended one of her books without a smile on my face. The same holds true for Now That You Mention It. I must say that her last few books, although chock full of the usual Kristan Higgins humor that I’ve come to adore, also have been about heavier subject matters. This is a good thing, because to me, it makes the author that much more interesting. I couldn’t put this book down but didn’t want it to end. It is full of all that makes Kristan Higgins’ books a delight to read: A strong female main character, good friends, romantic interests, family dynamics that are very relevant in today’s world, and of course a lovable dog. Wrap all of these ingredients together and you get a superb story. This is a must read for anyone who is a fan of romance and/or women’s fiction.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for an advanced copy of this most wonderful book in return for an honest (and glowing!) review.

After getting hit by a truck during a pizza run, Dr. Nora Stuart starts looking at her life in a new light. Things are only exacerbated when her boyfriend also kinda sorta admits he's breaking up with her while she's still supposed to be unconscious from her injuries. Due to these revelations and the fact that she's going to need some help for a few weeks, Nora decides it's time to go home to Scupper Island. Nora hasn't been home for any real length of time since she won the prestigious Tuft Scholarship her last year in high school. Due to potential controversy surrounding the scholarship, and in a move likened to her father disappearing on the family when Nora was eleven, Nora took the first ferry out of town and didn't look back, leaving behind her mother and a strained relationship with her younger sister.

Now, Nora is back home. Reassessing her life, and seeing that her sister is currently in jail, Nora wants to help out with her niece who has newly moved to Scupper Island to live with her grandmother. She's also looking for answers as to where her father went all those years ago and why he never reached out again to Nora and her sister. While Nora knows that past isn't easily forgotten, she'll begin to understand that sometimes how we perceive things can change as you get older. And working through what scares us will ultimately help us grow.

I've never read a Kristan Higgins book that I didn't enjoy so I was pretty much predisposed to like Now That You Mention It. With a lot of rumination on the past, especially when Nora was an awkward teenager, I was reminded a lot of Until There Was You, most especially with regards to the body issues that Nora faces as a teenager / young adult kind of on the other side of the spectrum from what Posey faces.

While I've always enjoyed Kristan Higgins's romances, I liked that this time around the romance took a backseat to other relationships, namely Nora trying desperately to connect with her sister again as well as her mother to a little lesser extent. After their father left Nora and her sister Lily, their close relationship started to derail with Lily seeking out the popular crowd in school and becoming a veritable wild-child, and Nora gaining some heartbreaking body issues which cause her to shy away from a lot of social interactions, and yes, she gets made fun of. The idea that a lot of the problems that Nora ends up facing as a teenager stems from her father leaving is something that's explored throughout the story, yet not blatantly given as an excuse. Nora's mother is also a very I'd say private person. Someone who works hard, but doesn't like to, or possibly even know how, to talk about personally matters. When Nora comes back home, she hopes to finally get her mother to open up about what really happened between her mother and father.

There's also this idea of perception. Nora remembers the times she and Lily spent with their father as the most fun adventures ever. She remembers her mother as the killjoy of those fun times. It's only after coming back home as an adult, that Nora can look back at those moments and see that, even though they may have been fun, they were also potentially dangerous. Also, yes Nora had a tough time in high school especially after her father left, but what she failed to see at the time was that there were other people, as she realizes as she's welcomed (or not) back into town by her former classmates, who knew Nora as the smart and kind person that she was. They saw beyond what Nora saw as her "failings". But again it's that whole perspective thing going on there.

I also felt that Now That You Mention It took on a little bit darker subject matter than Kristan Higgins's books have in the past. So on top of everything else Nora has going on, she's still justifiably reeling from an ordeal she went through about a year previous. Not wanting to give too much away, I'll suffice it to say that it's bad (understatement). I loved how strong of a character Nora is. How she fights every day to be ok and to keep moving forward even though it would be really easy for her to turn inward again like she did when she was younger. And Nora's relationship with her sister might never be the same again, but she won't give up on her. The same with her mother. Her mother might not be the most open or sharing person, but Nora just keeps asking the questions and keeps waiting for the answers. She doesn't give up, and I admired that immensely about her character.

There was a lot going on in this story, but Kristan Higgins really made everything flow together quite nicely. There's also the message that not everything can be or will be fixed by the end. We get some good headway made, but not everything is perfectly solved by The End. Which I think goes further to enhance upon the message to keep fighting as Nora does. Don't give up.

I would genuinely like to see Nora's sister Lily get her own book. She's a character that we only see in flashbacks or in reference. Her character doesn't technically make an appearance as an adult, which I found interesting. I'd love if her story was extended.

Overall, it's Kristan Higgins. What can I say. She's one of my go-to authors for a reason. Now That You Mention It is another good read by one of my favorites.

Oh my gosh, I loved reading Kristan Higgins’ newest novel, Now That You Mention It! It was a story that depicted so many dramatic, heartfelt moments that combined for an unmissable read. The friendships and strength of the female protagonists stood out in the story. Nora’s character pulled at the heartstrings from the get-go. How many bad scenarios can one character be put through, one asks. :( My heart bled for her character and all she endured. But the happier moments were blissful in a non-stop dramatic read. Now That You Mention It by author Kristan Higgins was outstanding reading from start to finish! :D
Review copy received from Harlequin Australia via Netgalley

Nora Stuart heads home to Scupper Island after she gets hit by a car and then breaks up with her boyfriend. She needs some emotional downtime and needs her home. Of course her mother is a pretty unemotional Mainer and her teenage niece is pretty angry at the world so things are a little rough at first.

Nora had been bullied throughout her high school years. She gained a lot of wait, had anxiety issues and acne. She was a good student, however, and won the coveted scholarship to Tufts. Once she left the island she lost weight and became a different person. When she returns to Scupper she finds herself fighting herself to become the old Nora. She’s not about to let that happen.

Nora runs into an old friend, stays away from others and makes new ones. She tries to come to terms with her life and what she needs emotionally and also deals with her mother and the reasons her father left suddenly when she was in Jr. High. She also happens to fall in love, but that’s really a side story.

Now That You Mention It is different from other KH books that I’ve read. I thought it was more women’s fiction than romance and that was ok. Higgins still has a wonderful writing style and she’s a great storyteller so it was still a great book.

I really liked Nora and her quirky, funny ways. I’m sure it was awkward being back in a town that you had perceived as hating you. Yes, she pretty much thought the entire island hated her. She learned that she wasn’t the only one who had changed and sometimes that was even for the better. I loved that she worked out her relationship with her mother as well as with her niece. The romance portion of the book was also engaging, just not the central theme of the book.

Overall I really enjoyed NTYMI and definitely recommend it.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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