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?

Kristan Higgins completely blew me away with Now That You Mention It!!! The storyline was original and the fact that I flew through it so fast (even though It's definitely not a short book) is a testament to how fantastic the writing is!! I found the main character, Nora Stuart extremely endearing and enjoyed reading her journey. Kristan Higgins tackles the complexities of family, friendships and romantic connections all the while battling the ability to have self-acceptance/love. One of my favorite aspects of any Kristan Higgins novel is that she never fails to make me laugh out loud at times, but at other times I find myself reaching for the tissues!! Now that You Mention It went a lot deeper than I anticipated--loved that! I honestly wish I could give this novel more than 5 stars because simply put, it was amazing! If you are in the mood for an novel with depth that you won't want to see end (ever), than you need to 1-click this gem!!

I really, REALLY enjoyed this read. Higgans has this unique writing voice that blends humor so well into pretty much every part of the story; the protagonist's voice, the plot, the character dialogue...it's there everywhere. But it's not all funny fun and games; there were several scenes that had me near tears, and others that had my heart pounding in terror. Higgans writes a real page-turner.

Nora is a kick-ass character, with a hidden reservoir of strength that I adore. She grew up with absolutely no self-confidence, but by the time we meet her in the beginning of the story, she's already gained a pretty solid sense of self. She still has her issues (PLEASE Nora, once in awhile, could you stand up for yourself with either your niece or your mother?!), but overall I love the balance of strength and vulnerability. There are so many little things I love that make this book feel authentic: she's a gastroenterologist; not a sexy specialty, but we get to see up-close the importance of her job, and why (despite its bad rap) she loves what she does. I love the fact that Sully is there from the very beginning in the childhood scenes, lurking just outside her notice. He's just a plain old good guy: not flashy, not a "bad boy" - just a down home good guy who generally gets along with his ex and loves his less-than-perfect daughter (who incidentally is like my favorite character in the entire book). Probably my favorite thing about this whole story is the loving care Higgans gives to the supporting cast. They're all so amazingly fleshed out, and it makes the town come alive (and will make you fall in love with most of them). Probably the best endorsement I could give this book: I don't normally laugh out loud while reading, even if it's super funny. But there's a dinner scene in this book that I challenge you to read without cracking up at least once.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

It's been a while since I read such a well writen book.

Kristan Higgins' smart humor and sharp characterization always do it for me. I loughed out loud so much with this one my kids even complained (some people like a nice private place to read but I love to do it on my living room couch with the kids around). In this book I met another bunch of interesting characters. Some I loved, some I did not, some I already knew (well not really, but I knew people JUST LIKE THEM).
Nora was an easy heroine to root for. She reminded me a lot of Maggie (Catch of the Day) and Faith Holland (The Best Man), always trying hard to be fun, upbeat, attentive, to be the best friend, the best daughter, the best aunt... I liked how she changed a little near the end and realised some things shouldn't be hard and how not caring could be a blessing (her words). Anyway she was a little too perfect imo but very nice to spend time with.

A few things I did not really enjoy :

- too many haeartaches in Nora's life : dad left them, sister turned her back on her, mom was emotionaly absent, bullied at school, verbally abused, physicaly abused (twice !), hit by a van, boyfriend lied and cheated... should I go one ?
Consequently the "feel-good-meter" was pretty low most of the book because really, nora was facing crappy situations over and over again. There were some nice moments in between thank goodness (Sully and Audrey were life savers for my poor heart).

- Nora's mom was an enigma. She was an unloving mother 99% of the book. The end/change of heart/heart to heart conversation felt wrong and didn't explain why she never showed any care for her daughter's pain.

- Sully was a great character and I was fustrated I didn't get to know him better. This book is labeled woman's fiction so that's not odd at all. Yet I wish the book had more romance and more Sully !

I had an entire day planned in catching up on stuff that needed doing today. Then I started NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT at breakfast with my morning cup of tea….and I stayed in my jammies and did nothing but read the book the entire day!!! I should know better by now not to start a new Kristan Higgins book when I have a boatload of stuff to do. I simply could do nothing else but read it once I started, right through to the end!

Nora Stuart could be me…or you…or any girl who suffered through adolescence over weight, incredibly smart, and tormented by the mean girls. Add in the fact her father up and left the family one day without even so much as a “bye, see ya later,” and her mother refused to ever talk about it, and well, you’ve got a protagonist that really could be everyman ( or on this case, every-girl!) The one bright light in her life is her younger sister Lily, a child Nora loves beyond all else. But after daddy bolts, their lives, and that love, is never the same again.

Nora’s unpleasant years do turn for the better. She wins a prestigious scholarship to college, beating out the town’s fair haired and much loved favorite son Luke Fletcher. And while Nora’s life gets better, Luke’s doesn’t.

Nora becomes a doctor, loses a ton of weight, works for a prestigious medical group and hospital and seems to have found her one true love in ER doctor Bobby Byrne.

And then one evening Nora is hit by a van while walking cross the street. And not just any van. A bug killing van ( think Termanix, but Boston-local!) The boyfriend she thought she’d stay with forever with turns out to be a louse, and Nora goes back to the place she hasn’t been for 15 years, not since she left for that prestigious college and a better life. She goes back home.
Home to a mother she doesn’t know, a town whose residents still mostly resent her ( Remember Luke?) and a 15 year old niece who’s only staying with grandma because her mom ( Nora’s sister Lily) is incarcerated in Seattle.

While Nora comes back to the island home she ran away from to physically heal her broken body, she comes to realize she needs to heal her broken soul as well.

Written with her usual quick flare, snappy one liners and zingers, and filled with enough indepth characters to make you hope for a few sequels from the book, NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT is a book I really wish I could give 100 stars to. It hits every one of my reading checklist boxes: funny, poignant, complex, and able to make me laugh on one page, cry on the other.

Gosh, I just love a Kristan Higgins book!

I couldn't finish this book because I wasn't enjoying it, so I prefer not to write a public review. It's not a bad story, it just wasn't written for me. I expected something different when I read the description on NetGalley and I apologize for requesting this title. I wish the best for the author, though.

Are you a fan of books where women find themselves to be stronger than they ever imagined? What about if we throw in family situations that force them out of their comfort zone? Or have them confronting the past they’ve been running from? What if the happily-ever-after is grounded in reality rather than fantastical situations? If you ticked yes to all of those, then hooooo buddy do I have the book (and author) for you! Kristan Higgins is a master of all of the above, and Now That You Mention It is another entry into her exceptional canon.

Growing up on an island smaller than your thumb off the coast of Maine, Nora’s whole goal in life was to leave. After winning a competitive and prestigious scholarship to Tufts, she did just that. However, the reality is that all she left was the physical location. The realities of that life, how her childhood shaped her, and the people she’s still connected to in that place are present in ways she’d rather not admit. Nora is the hero of this story and it’s her head we’re in throughout it. She grounds us both in this world and in her struggle, and I simply adored spending time with this beautiful, bruised, strong and shaken lady.

When we first meet Nora, she’s just been hit by a car. Not her best day. But it’s about to get even worse, because she overhears her ER physician boyfriend hitting on a nurse while she – Nora - is semi-conscious on the gurney before him. So yeah, it’s definitely not her best day. Recovering from the accident in Boston becomes emotionally impossible, so she gets on the ferry back to the island she left and the life she’s been ignoring. Greeting her are her austere mother, her niece, and an absolute shedload of painful memories. You see, when she won the scholarship, she beat out one of the golden children of the island, whose life spiraled painfully out of control after that event. In a way that only a small town can, Nora is blamed for his choices instead of celebrated for her successes. The fact that she has been gone for so long has only added insult to injury, as she is now perceived as rising above her station in a way which practically negates  her citizenship from the island.

So, in other words – it’s not the warmest of homecomings.

Adding to the joy, Nora’s sister (the mother of the aforementioned niece) is in jail clear across the country and has dumped her daughter back into her mother’s house. Now that Nora is crashing in the house as well, there is a lot of silent pain in a small space. As Nora’s body heals, she is forced to confront much of that silent pain in both her own life and in her family’s.

I am being intentionally vague here, which may be driving a few of you nuts. But that’s because I want you to experience this world exactly as Ms. Higgins intends you to. There is a calm and lovely unfolding here of both Nora’s authentic self and the life she is slowly creating almost unconsciously. Be assured though, there is a sexy man with a wry sense of humor and quiet strength - a Higgins trademark - and there is definitely a dog.

Something I am comfortable disclosing in the midst of all this meditative text is now funny the book is. I laughed out loud so many times at Nora’s thoughts as well as at her interactions with a newfound gaggle of lady friends. The fact that those friends speak fluent Harry Potter was such a delight that I took a screenshot of a particular passage and texted it to my best friend. “I think we’ve found our fictional people”, was the caption. “YES,” she texted back in huge letters, “how can I meet these people?” Just as in life, there is joy amidst pain, and laughter mixed in with the tears.

Now That You Mention It is, quite simply, a gift, and one I would encourage you to indulge in quickly. Thanks, Ms. Higgins. I can’t wait to see who we get to meet next.

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