This is a perfectly suspenseful sequel! Usually these fall flat, but this was another book that kept me on the edge of my seat (and one that kept me up far too late reading!)

Great sequel with enough clues even if you haven't read the first book. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and it kept my attention from the very beginning to the end. It's quick and fast paced and will keep you turning page after page. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

This is a prequel to the original book. I enjoyed this book and it answered some questions. Thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend.

Ohhh, I seriously gobbled this book up in two sittings. It was such a great read! While it is obviously meant to be the sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me, I don't think readers would struggle too much jumping right into this book. I didn't reread TLTHTM, and I did fine picking this up five years later and diving right in!

I've read several books written by Laura Dave, and I have always thoroughly enjoyed them. That said, I think she improves, skill-wise, with each novel she writes. Where Dave excels is in crafting characters that are true to life; characters the reader has empathy for and wish to see have happy endings. This book, of course, followed that recipe- I genuinely was rooting for Hannah and for Bailey. (And even Owen and Nicholas, to a lesser degree, however). I also really appreciate Dave's themes related to family- especially if it concerns how far one will go to protect the people they love and value.

This is a fast-paced, exciting book that was hard to put down. It kept me on the edge of my seat for the majority of the time I was reading it. There are a few surprises and mysteries mixed in, but I think it was more of a domestic thriller than flat out mystery. No matter what category it falls into, it is definitely worth reading. I have a feeling I won't have to really suggest this to many people; it's highly anticipated, and will do my job for me in selling itself. That said, I will still be singing its praises from the rooftop when it is released. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. You won't regret it!

Laura Dave has done something that very few authors can do…. she’s written a sequel that’s even better than the first book. The First Time I Saw Him picks up where The Last Thing He Told Me left off, and from the very first page you know you’re in for a wild ride.

Hannah is determined to protect her stepdaughter Bailey at all costs, but when her husband Owen makes a sudden reappearance everything changes in an instant. They have no choice but to board a plane without knowing their destination and trust that together they can find a safe place to start over.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Laura Dave’s newest - and quite possibly best- thriller. You’ll be rooting for Hannah all over again as she faces a boatload of obstacles with the fierce loyalty and determination that we’ve come to love.

Dave continues to engage readers throughout the story, which the continued with the expected. Could not put this down.

Felt very connected to the characters, even after all this time

Will recommend!!!

Being one of the many readers that loved The Last Thing He Told Me, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw there would be a sequel. Although it has been some time since I read the first book, the author did a great job giving some background on past events so I wouldn’t feel lost in the story.

It’s been five years, Hannah and Bailey are closer now than ever before and settling into their new lives. When Owen suddenly appears before Hannah one evening, she knows their lives are about to be turned upside down… again. She will do whatever it takes to keep Bailey safe and to get her family back together.

The First Time I Saw Him is a fast-paced read that takes off from the start and doesn’t let up. Past secrets are revealed and while it seems like the end it still leaves you wanting more. I definitely wouldn’t say no to a third book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Laura Dave for pleasing her readers with this sequel! WOW! Such intricate details provided depth and excitement into the reading! While I am not a fan of flashbacks, the flashbacks in The First Time I Saw Him were easy to follow and truly created the complexitiy of the story line! I was up at 3:30am to finish reading this title!

I got this as an ARC from Netgalley and Scribner. I hadn't read the first one when I got this, so I ended up reading them back to back. I really enjoyed the first book in this series - it kept me guessing, and i felt emotionally connected to the characters. While this was a decent follow-up, it just didn't keep my attention as much, and it felt very melodramatic. I would have liked to hear less of Nicholas and his organization and more about Owen, Bailey, and Hannah.

I want to thank NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read book 2 in the continuation of the Hannah Hall series.

Hannah and Bailey really turned their lives around after book 1 with constantly upgrading their escape plans, and preparing for the day that Nicholas can no longer protect them. I loved their relationship with him!

I like the way Hannah & Bailey became a team. I enjoyed the unraveling of all of the little builds up to the big conclusion for everything from book 1 and 2!

This was an easy five stars. I absolutely loved the first book The Last Thing He Told Me. I watched the series and loved that as well. When I found out there was a second book in the series, it went to the top of my tbr list. Hannah Hall #2, The First Time I Saw Him is just as exhilarating as the first book. It seamlessly picks up right where the epilogue of The Last Thing He Told Me left off when Owen reappears at the gallery after five years have passed with a cryptic message. Hannah knows that she and Bailey must be in danger if Owen has made contact with her. They are now one the run from old enemies and the threat of Frank's children. Will Owen keep them safe or sacrifice himself for their well being? This one is unputdownable! Grab a copy immediately on 1/6/26. I hope Dave continues with a third book.

I don't want to give too much away about the sequel, but I can say this: it's pure adrenaline. The kind of book you inhale like your favorite snack-you keep reaching for just one more handful until suddenly, the box is empty. I couldn't stop; my heart was in my throat, my pulse racing, like being in a car flying down the highway without brakes toward the cliff.
The story picks up exactly where the first book left off:
Hannah, stunned, meets an older, worn-down Owen at the gallery opening, his cryptic words cutting the air. Why would he reappear after five years, just as she and Bailey finally started to heal and move forward? Hannah has built a quiet life in California, Bailey graduated, wrote her first musical, and found her first real job. Together, with Nicholas-the loving grandfather who shielded them like a fortress-they've created a fragile but steady family. But Owen's return threatens to shatter all of it.
Then, the suspense ignites: a supposed gas leak, a text from an unknown number (almost certainly Owen's) urging Hannah to run, and Nicholas's sudden, suspicious death. Before we can breathe, Hannah and Bailey are once again thrown into chaos-on the run, chased by old enemies and new threats.
With Frank's vengeful children bent on finishing what their father started, the danger escalates. Can Owen's brilliant mind devise a way to keep them safe, or will he sacrifice himself for their future? Every page burns with the question: is there still hope for this family —and maybe, finally, a long-awaited happy ending?
Overall: If you're anything like me-a fangirl screaming from the rooftops for this sequel-you need to grab it immediately.
It's gripping, twisty, exhilarating, and utterly unputdownable.
Five blazing stars from me!
And a very heartfelt thank you to NetGalley!

I really enjoyed this one! I loved the first Hannah story and was drawn in by Dave's evocative and tension-laden story. I wasn't sure how I felt about the idea of a sequel, despite things definitely being open for resolution, because I was afraid it would be too pat (or too similar to the feel of the first book). Once the secret behind Owen's disappearance was made clear, I wasn't sure there would be enough opportunities for future mysterious goings-on to achieve the same tense, anxiety-riddled levels of anticipation. Dave definitely proved my fears groundless though, as this sequel was every bit as much of a high-wire dance as the first book! There were twists upon turns. The characters continued to develop in their individual natures and in relation to each other. I loved everything about this one - including the resolution - and can't say enough good things!

Sometimes sequels don’t live up to the first book. This is not the case here at all. The First Time I Saw Him was just as good, if not slightly better (because we already knew the characters) than The Last Time I Saw Him. Told through multiple timelines and POV’s this book gives us the closure we all needed. We learn where Owen has been and we get to see the relationships Bailey has built with Hannah and her “new” family members.
At the heart of this book is the story of what a mother would do to keep her daughter safe…. What she has been doing for the last five years. Written in pages that easily flow and keep you captivated from the first sentence, you won’t want to put this one down.

First of all, thank you NetGalley and Scribner for this ARC. Laura Dave has knocked this one out of the park. At the end of The Last Thing He Told Me, I had so many questions! She left us on such a cliff hanger, and I had no idea if we would get a second book. Of course, the second I heard about The First Time I Saw Him, I immediately requested a copy. This story picks up right where we left off in the first book, after running into Owen at the gallery. And I had literal chills from the first page and on. Her writing and ability to capture the audience attention is awe inspiring. This book was twisty, exhilarating and unforgettable. Thank you again for letting me experience it!

Laura Dave wrote such an absolutely fabulous book in The Last Thing He Told Me... it was curious to me how she would follow that book with with her story: The First Time I Saw Him. This book is absolutely fantastic - I wish I could give it more than five stars as it deserves at least 20. Seriously. This should be on every reader's "must read" list for 2026. It is that good - and a will not disappoint. The First Time I Saw Him picks up where the first book ended - and expands on Hannah and Bailey's lives. And I love that Bailey's grandfather received one of the starring roles as his relationship with Hannah is magnetic. A huge thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for an advanced reader of this book - the opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

Title: The First Time I Saw Him
Author: Laura Dave
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

At her most recent art exhibition, Hannah has a chance encounter with the person she thought she’d never see again - her husband Owen. A hidden flash drive, unexpected death, and urgent text to leave the house immediately trigger the carefully planned and rehearsed steps that Hannah had gone over with her daughter, Bailey. From the shores of the Pacific to New Zealand to France, Dave takes readers on a whirlwind of trying to stay alive with the hope of reunification of the family.

Takeaways:
1. The intricate details of every little move made by the central characters is mind blowing. Dave sets everything up in a way you don’t get (too) lost, but the thought of her planning out each of these plot points just amazes me.
2. The way the locations are painted through words puts you in the middle of the action. I found myself looking up Éze to see what it looked like in images and Dave was spot on either descriptions. I would love to visit there myself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on January 6, 2026.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #scribner #thefirsttimeisawhim @lauradaveauthor

3.5 stars

Hannah and Bailey are back for more running and reflecting. This is a much anticipated sequel, and it'll please most readers who are in the know.

I really enjoyed _The Last Thing He Told Me_. I wasn't anticipating a sequel or necessarily hoping for one, but once I saw that this was available, I HAD to know what Hannah and Bailey were up to and what had become of their previously altered relationships and circumstances. If I had come into this book without such an affinity for its predecessor, I think I'd have found this novel to be just okay on its own merit. If I take that even a bit further, I know I have an inflated opinion of this novel because it allowed me to spend more time with these characters. This is a long way of saying that those who will enjoy this most will have a fuller picture of these characters and the events they've experienced than just this book offers.

What works best in this book is that we get some long awaited answers (and some questions are left with some mystery surrounding them). Hannah spends a lot of time thinking and processing, and while this tends to be a feature many readers like about this author's writing in general, I found myself wanting to get back to the action and out of Hannah's head more than once during this read. Readers who do like to really get into a character's inner struggles will get a lot of material from Hannah.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and am so glad I got some more answers and a look into the future of these characters. Absolutely recommended for readers of the first book who are willing to risk new outcomes AND for those willing to read the first book before jumping into this.

The First Time I Saw Him is a hybrid of back story from its predecessor, The Last Thing He Told Me, and the present, with Hannah, Bailey, and Owen adjusting to their "new normal" with Owen in hiding. The First Time I Saw Him picks up right where The Last Thing He Told Me left off-with a brief encounter between Owen and Hannah at an exhibition featuring Hannah's new collection of furniture and accessories. The First Time I Saw Him lacks the intensity and suspense of The Last Thing He Told Me, but it more than makes up for this in character development. Going back decades we get an in depth look at Frank, Nicholas, and their families, and the events that led to Owen's disappearance. You can follow the plot fairly well without having read The Last Thing He Told Me, but you'll appreciate The First Time I Saw Him more if you do. And like its forerunner, The First Time I Saw Him is destined to climb to the top of the best seller lists, and should result in a TV adaptation.