I love love love this book. Kristan Higgins has been one of my go-to authors for quite a while and her new title definitely didn't disappoint! In a story filled with finding yourself, second chances in a small town, and crazy family dramatics....this book has a little bit of everything. I loved Nora's voice and seeing her memories of growing up in a small town when you feel like you just don't always fit in there. I would definitely recommend to fans of women's fiction and romance. This is a must read!

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review from NetGalley and I am so glad I did. I love the great way the author uses love, compassion and unconditional love as well as forgiveness, humor we see in her character Nora, the main character.

There is a lot of angst in this book between characters and there are some shocking moments as we see Nora's life unfold in her thoughts from her life. The scene goes from Boston back to Scupper Island to her family-mother, sister and niece, which is its own story!

What I took away from this book is that Nora was an incredible character and the author told this story in a way that when it is over you have gotten to know Nora and love her, admire her strength as well as her dignity.

I gave this book 5*****stars and I highly suggest you read it! Just be prepared to sit until you are done, I read this book voraciously until the last page.

I’ve really been struggling lately with the beginning of books, I don’t know if it’s just that they’re unable to keep my attention, or they’re just lacking that big event to reel me in from the beginning. Thank goodness this was not the case with Now That You Mention It, it was refreshingly unique as I found myself flying through the pages from the very beginning, Higgins was really able to capture my attention with Nora’s life and weave such a beautiful story. With the turn of events, I was totally for Nora going back home and spending time with her family, however, as we don’t really know Nora’s back story or of why she left Scupper Island in the first place, I was really overwhelmed with the turn of events. I wanted Nora to rush back to Boston and be with Bobby, I know he was a complete and utter douche face, but you know with certain characters you want to give them a second chance and honestly with the way things were going I honestly thought Bobby was redeeming himself. And with the stuff Nora had to deal with back home, with a mother who wouldn’t really open up, and a niece who didn’t want to know her, wasn’t Nora just better off in Boston?

The revelations came kept coming in Now That You Mention It and I was so glad that I was reading this book with Rachel as I constantly wanted to discuss what the hell was going on! The revelations bought on so many different feelings; my heart just broke with had happened, but I appreciated the way Higgins gave the story to us, as I so wasn’t expecting it, so I was completely left reeling. Nora’s story was captured so well in this book, I felt as if I’d really got to know her as a character and I loved how strong she was and just how far she came over the course of the story. Nora never had an easy time, she had experienced a tough life, been pushed to her limits, but I admired her ability not to give up, and the way things ended up in the end. I liked how friends cropped up when she was least expecting them, and she was willing to try and try again until she made some breakthroughs with people she cared about. Although overall, I really enjoyed this book, as all I wanted to do was devour all the beautiful pages, I felt as towards the end of the book, it was a little anti-climactic, the big reveal, wasn’t that big to me, may be because I was left in shock whilst experiencing Nora’s journey. But this aside, Now That You Mention It was truly a wonderful read, I loved all the shocks and surprises along the way, how Higgins was able to take me through feelings of anger, hurt and love in one incredible journey. Also, just a heads up, don’t assume that you know anyone, I thought I was a good judge of character, but Higgins completely had me fooled! Now That You Mention It was my first book by Higgins, but it certainly won’t be my last!

5/5: What do I love about Kristan Higgins? Everything! Every single title she has written has me laughing with tears running down my face. Two seconds later I'm bawling my eyes out. Always a strong sense of family, mostly eccentric family. Oh and the furry friends! She is one of my most treasured authors! Oh and Tweety.... just ... lol... oh my! Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC

Another great Kristan Higgins novel! A completely new setting and set of characters. Tiny Scupper Island off the coast of Maine serves as the beautiful locale for a story with all of the traditional Higgins humor, emotions, and complex relationships. I fell in love with most of the characters - Nora, the "good" daughter, who won the town's all expenses paid scholarship to Tufts; her sister Lily, beautiful and doomed, and Lily's daughter Poe, tattooed, angry, living with the grandmother on Scupper Island while her mother is in jail. Plus, of course, the men! A whole array of attractive, but sometimes flawed men, for our array of women to choose from! As a side note, I was very impressed with the diversity of Higgins' characters in this book - without her focussing on the diversity as the main purpose of the novel. Everyone was treated as simply another person with individual characteristics some of which mapped to identified categories of diversity. I'd like to see more novels take this approach.

Fantastic story, I read it so fast.It's a shame I haven't read this author.I loved the story and her characters felt real, smart, quirky and at times funny.From the witty writing to the brilliant descriptions of the Maine island this book takes you inside and you feel like you are with the characters.

There's nothing like a painful hit by a bug-blasting van to slow Nora to the point where she re-evaluates her family, relationship, and job. She heads back home, rents a house boat for her recovery time, and starts to spend more time with her mom, niece, and old classmates. This book moves well, and characters are easy to relate to.

I loved it! Again, it was an amazing journey like her other stories. I started and couldn’t put it down until I finished. Whenever I read one of her boks, I find myself lost in the story. It was a very sweet one actually, I liked the characters a lot. Nora was an amazing strong woman, and her mother too… Everything turned up so good, I feel myself satisfied with the result. I was looking for a story like this for a while. She’s an amazing writer, I’ll keep picking her books in the future.

This was my second novel by Kristin Higgins and I loved it! Kristin Higgins has a definite sharp humor in her novel and the characterization is on point my friends!

I started this book on Sunday and didn't get out of pj's all day! So, I've heard Higgins novels are known for romance but this one I don't think it's really a "romance" per say. This book was honestly a breath of fresh air.. and just what the doctor ordered for Kendall ;)

I adored Nora... what a kick ass character with a strong sense of strength! Wow.. this woman had been through THE mud in this book and nothing could stop her! I definitely admire this woman. Can I just say my favorite quote in this book.... "Oh fuckety fucking McFuckster".... (I now am proudly going to use this quote)... this had me dying laughing in bed.

What I loved most about Nora is her ability to LOVE and find herself despite the continued hardship she endured in her life. Also, the amount of love she had for EVERYONE around her! Oh my gosh... the relationships that were formed with her mother, sister, her niece, Sully. It truly makes the town come alive and honestly will make you fall in love with every character Nora comes into contact with!

The message I took away from this book is LOVE. No matter how gray or dirty you feel your life is at the moment.. don't give up on love. Even if it's the love you have for your huge mountain dog Boomer ;).... or as small as the love you have for your favorite flower.... it will always be there.

I am definitely going to read more from Kristin Higgins! 5 beautiful and loving stars to Kristin Higgins! ;)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

‘Now That You Mention It’ is the new contemporary romance novel, by Kristan Higgins… though I’d use the term “romance” a little loosely here.

It pains me to have disliked another Kristan Higgins book, it really does. But ‘Now That You Mention It’ is more of what Higgins began experimenting with in 2015, with her novel ‘If You Only Knew’ which, much like ‘Mention It’, is more women’s fiction than romance.

This novel is about doctor, Nora Stuart, who escaped her small island town as a teenager with a coveted college scholarship … but a traumatic encounter, disintegrating romance, and getting hit by a van all send Nora spiralling and returning home to recuperate. Now she intends to reconnect with her distant mother, maybe find her absentee father, establish a connection with her niece, and try to reach out to her incarcerated sister. All while unearthing old high school rivalries, and maybe a few unexpected crushes.

There is a lot going on in this novel, and while there is a small romance – it really isn’t the main focus, and often takes a backseat to all the other dramas going on in Nora’s life. The novel actually gets quite bogged down with all that Higgins is trying to say – and in the end, it feels like nothing gets its due diligence.

The two storylines that really could have worked as the focus are; Nora’s sister, who is currently doing time, and the fact that Nora was the victim of a home-invasion and attack a few months ago. These are two pivot-points that could have worked to hang the rest of the story on. But the plot gets bogged down by trying to Nora’s relationship with her distant mother, and Nora trying to figure out if her beautiful doctor boyfriend really is worth the time or should they just be done and dusted?

And because there’s SO MUCH going on, Nora’s love-life is more like the fourth or fifth strand to the plot … which is a shame, because it has good bones. When Nora returns home, she develops a crush on a man she went to high school with, who she really paid no attention to (because she was more concerned with his hotter, crueller older brother). This love interest is also interesting because he’s hard-of-hearing, and will eventually be completely Deaf.

Look, I know that Kristan Higgins is an amazing writer, and I certainly do not begrudge her venturing into women’s fiction. She’s letting romance take a subtler turn in these stories, which are more about sisterly bonds, fractured families and women taking back control of their lives. All awesome! But there’s a heaviness to these stories too, and a feeling like Higgins is fighting with herself to let everything *except* the romance take centre-stage, even when it would be more natural to do just that.

2/5

We are all shaped to some extent by our families and sometimes react by escaping. That is the case in this book. A full ride with all expenses to college for the highest GPA sets off a series of ugly events that follow the participants to adulthood. Children's views of their past can become clearer through the eyes of adults.

Sigh.

Reading a Higgins book for me is like slipping on my reading socks on a cold fall morning, listening the rain patter on the roof while having a cup of coffee.
So in essence reading a Kristan Higgins book is usually, almost always, 99% perfection.

Her new book is a treasure. She takes us back to the water, with a dog and a quiet guy.

Her retrospect on family, life and love always sets my heart racing, always makes me laugh so hard my stomach hurts and a few tears in my eyes.

This was the loveliest way to spend the weekend.

Thank you NetGalley. Harlequin for a copy of this ebook.

Mare~Slitsread

Wow! Is Kristin Higgins flexing her proverbial biceps with this one. Well go ahead Ms. Higgins flex them and kiss them while you are at it. You pulled it off! I am always nervous and anxious when I hear a favorite author is 'changing the formula' a bit. Fixing what isn't broken makes me all itchy and antsy! However witnessing a favorite author subtly growing and branching out is pretty satisfying when it works, and it worked.

The story focuses on Nora a Doctor who has a practice in Boston. Life is good as a Doctor. Nora is successful. Nora's voice is confident, stong, decisive and easy going, all at once. I completely understood her. I wanted to be friends with her! The story humorously explores a 'that's it!' decision in Nora's life that sets in motion her returning home to her small town in Main. The stage is set with a cast of unconventional characters in this small town which will leave the reader rereading certain scenes just to make sure you heard right. I loved the diversity of the characters in a not so diverse setting. When an author takes the time to infuse diversity I immediately perk up and pay attention.

Since I'm discussing what made me perk up and pay attention, as mentioned beforehand, this novel dabbles into a bit of suspense. As far as I can remember uncharted territory for this author, yet it paid off. It easily added just another element that prevented me from putting my kindle down. Some may call it a darker approach involving traumatic near death experiences. If this is the direction this author continues to take I like it, alot. Not to worry there was a perfect balancing act between humor and sweetness, that was impressively easily maintained, not forced or predictable. If I had to complain, it would be with a swift ending, which could be just me not wanting it to conclude. 4.5 stars!

Another classic novel from Higgins. In Now That You Mention It, we get Nora. Nora, like many of Higgin's characters has been given more than any one human can handle: personal adversity, ugly ducking syndrome, a vicious attack, and of course, a near death accident. Couple this with growing up in a small town, a stoic mother, runaway father, and an addicted sister in jail, the odds of happiness are stacked totally against her. Of course Nora prevails and finds her HEA with an unexpected, quiet hero. This novel satisfies and Higgins is one of the few that can consistently deliver a solid story and a strong supporting cast. Her attention to detail is stellar. Enjoy this outing from Higgins!

So I have a million and one things to do this week with the kiddies going back to school, yet I sat here on my butt all d*mn day reading this unputdownable book by Kristan Higgins. I can count on one hand the amount of authors I read without even glancing at the blurb. This author is one of them.

From the witty writing to the brilliant descriptions of the Maine island this book takes place on, its like reading in vivid color. Higgins characters are always relatable, three dimensional and adorably flawed. There was absolutely nothing I would change about this book. It was utterly perfect. 

I laughed, I teared up, I laughed some more. I sighed and took a nice deep breath when I finished, and then I absorbed every beautiful word I read today. This book is the absolute best one I've had the pleasure of reading this year. Higgins is one of those authors I wish would write faster. Because I need more stories like this in my life. 

~ A Hopeless Romantic's Booklandia, 6 Stars

This book was fabulous. I just love this author. Can't wait for more.

I only cried a little, I swear!

Trigger warnings: assault, attempted rape

Nora's ability to love and love and love and love her sister is inspiring. She is so strong <3

I really connected with how important relationships are in this novel - and not between the heroine and hero. But rather for Nora and her mom, sister, niece, and the community she grew up in.

But seriously - MAJOR BETA HERO love happening here! OMG. Even the sex is meh the first time. Such a good slow burn romance!

Such a well told story. Her traumatic experience was truly frightening and shaped her choices. The story that progresses from this is really remarkable, unusual and quite a crazy ride. I loved it all.

Just when I thought there was no way Kristan Higgins could steal my heart yet AGAIN—or hold me captive with her snarky humor, smart writing and endearing characters—she goes and does it. I know, what was I thinking? How can I consider myself an optimist at heart when I’m always waiting to be left disappointed?

Through Nora, Kristan Higgins conveys a meaningful message that resonates within the pages of a stellar read, a true standout, an utterly captivating experience. Similar to If You Only Knew and On Second Thought, this is a heartfelt story that will stick with me for months to come.

Right from the start, I could feel this was somehow different from the author’s previous work. As the story unfolded and the darker elements were brought to light—situations and feelings I hadn’t seen or experienced from her writing before—I was enamored. For me, Kristan Higgins proved with Now That You Mention It that she has incredible range. Her distinct voice shines through whether writing an upbeat romance or in this case, a story that falls on the darker spectrum of women’s fiction. I’m not sure if anyone else could pull off this level of humor and self-deprecation in a story riddled with shadows.

First of all, I have to say, I adored Nora from the get-go. Who else could make light of being a gastroenterologist or the functions of the digestive tract? My guess, no one. Not only is Nora incredibly smart and quirky—with a level of self-assurance I’m not sure I could’ve mustered up in her situation—she’s one tough chick. Sure, like most of us, she's harboring a laundry list of fears, but you know what, despite everything, she stands up and finds her voice in the face of it all. With a little determination, Nora uncovers her true self and her heart.

“Does that mean we’re a thing?”

It’s a freak accident that forces Nora to have a come-to-Jesus moment and acknowledge that she’s been living in the gray—not exactly happy, more like just surviving—putting one foot in front of the other for the sake of getting through the day. She packs up her life in Boston and with her “Dog of Dogs” in tow, heads back to her childhood home on Scupper Island. It’s time to face her past—those that dubbed her Troll in high school, those that made her feel guilty for winning that scholarship to an elite university, the mother that’s always been standoffish, the father that abandoned her, the troubled sister that continues to push her away and the niece she doesn’t have a relationship with. Things don’t play out exactly as she planned, but sometimes the best things in life are the most unexpected.

It takes more than a lovable cast, an interesting storyline and intrigue to make for a great story—there has to be a deeper meaning. For me, with this story, the big picture takeaway was, life is what you make it. You can choose to wallow in the gray or pick yourself up, dust yourself off, grow from the dark times and find the vivid color in life—just like Nora did.

So, there are a few things I have to mention because they’re just too great to pass up. Like the fact that Nora rents a houseboat from a minor secondary character from Somebody to Love. Remember Collier Rhodes, the rich techie Parker’s mother was trying to fix her up with? It’s on his gorgeous houseboat that Nora throws a dinner party that ends up being one of the most awkwardly hilarious moments of the entire book. Or wait, what about the ham dinner at her mom’s house?! I'm laughing just thinking about it. Sad to say, the poor little guy kind of had it coming. It's fiction people, so don't fret.

Kristan Higgins has proved, time and time again, to this reader—over the course of 11 books in the last 5 months to be exact—that her signature way of combining hilarious inner-thoughts, witty banter, undeniable chemistry and a lovable cast of characters is untouchable. It’s safe to say, I might be a little obsessed.

So, this book is a romance, but it's really more regular fiction than anything. Some might even classify it as women's fiction. It's an enjoyable read. I liked it. I feel like advertising it as a romance rather than women's fiction is an odd choice. Lately most of Kristan Higgins books have been blurring the lines there. I wonder if she's going to do a complete cross over into women's fiction? Interesting book. I don't quite understand why the mom kept so many secrets, but what can you do?