After falling in love with The Last Thing He Told Me, I couldn’t wait to dive into Laura Dave’s newest installment, The First Time I Saw Him. While the first book kept me hooked, I finished it wanting just a little more closure. This sequel was everything I hoped for and more.

The story picks up right where the last one left off, wasting no time diving back into the action. It’s one of those books that’s nearly impossible to put down. I especially loved seeing how the relationships evolved, particularly between Hannah and Bailey. I admire Hannah’s fierce, protective nature and how she will do anything for the people she loves.

One of my favorite parts was getting to hear the story from multiple points of view. It gave depth to the characters and answered questions I didn’t even realize I still had from the first book. It added layers of understanding and filled in the gaps beautifully.

Overall, The First Time I Saw Him was a wild ride from beginning to end. If you loved The Last Thing He Told Me, this sequel will not disappoint.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Scribner for an advanced copy of this book.

This is the perfect sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me. There's tons of action from page one, and at under 300 pages, it's definitely a quick binge. Dave continues to dive into how far someone will go to protect their family, with twists I didn’t see coming, alternating timelines, and a whole lot of suspense.

A compelling and satisfying sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me! Readable in a day even with other activities. I am a big fan of Laura Dave, can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Scribner for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The First Time I Saw Him by Lauren Dave is a heartfelt and tender exploration of love, loss, and second chances. The chemistry between the characters is palpable, and the author expertly navigates the complexities of past heartbreaks while keeping the narrative hopeful. The pacing is engaging, though at times, the emotional depth could have been explored further. Overall, it’s a touching story that resonates with readers looking for a mix of romance and self-discovery

SYNOPSIS
-Sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me. Definitely read that first.
-It’s been five years since Owen disappeared. Hannah and Bailey have built a new life in California, staying close to Bailey’s grandfather Nicholas.
-Everything blows up again when Owen suddenly shows up at Hannah’s art show.
-A cryptic warning and Nicholas’s death send Hannah and Bailey running, this time across the globe, into a mess tied to old promises, crime ties, and family loyalties.
-Hannah risks everything to keep Bailey safe while facing the impossible question of whether there’s a real way back to Owen.
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MY THOUGHTS
-Honestly, I was surprised this sequel even existed. The first book felt like a complete story on its own.
-I loved The Last Thing He Told Me and gave it four stars. It was tight, suspenseful, and felt fresh.
-This one was good, but not at the same level. The drama leaned more soap opera than thriller, and it lost some of the sharpness that made the first book great.
-I still enjoyed being back with Hannah and Bailey, but it didn’t hit as hard as the original.
-If you loved the first, you’ll want to read this, but just go in with adjusted expectations.
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TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️A solid sequel that gives closure but dips into soap opera territory. Worth reading if you liked the first, but not as strong.
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THANKS: Thanks to Scribner and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on January 6, 2026.

The latest book by Laura Dave reunites us with familiar characters and a family drama that just keeps on going. It's fast-paced, enticing, and fun to read - very difficult to not rush through it in one sitting. I hope that, although some of the plots are wrapped up now, this won't be the end of the family saga!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I breezed through this installment just as swiftly as The Last Thing He Told Me. An all-around fabulous read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

FIRST, before you read this book, you MUST read "The Last Thing He Told Me". This book is a sequel to the first book. I was so looking forward to this one as I loved the first book. Unfortunately for me, this one was just not as good. I do understand why the author included the backstory on the characters, but it made most of the book confusing for me. Some parts of the book even felt a little too far fetched compared to the first book. Overall it was a well written book. This just wasn't my cup of tea this time.
Thank you, NetGally for allowing me to read the eARC of this book!

The continuation of this story fulfilled my heart and broke it in so many pieces but then put it back together again. It was joyous to see Hannah and Bailey's relationship and trust blossom. Hannah became the solid protector of Bailey and truly showed she would do anything to protect her. I also liked the bouncing prospective of Nicholas, Hannah, Bailey, and Owen/Ethan. It gave so much depth to the story and truly kept me on my toes! A wonderful suspenseful story that you didn't know was going to end in a happy ever after and truly made me think, did it even end that way?

I was not anticipating another Hannah Hall story but as soon as I saw it listed, I jumped at the chance to read it. I was content with the end of The Last Thing He Told Me and even though I wanted to know more, knowing that Hannah and Bailey were safe together was good enough for me. But I won't turn down another Laura Dave novel!!

A great continuation, The First Time I Saw Him brings you back into the world of Hannah Hall and takes you on a journey of self-preservation and showcases the lengths a family, even found family, will go to protect one another.

Thank you @netgalley and @scribnerbooks for this ARC. Be sure to look for this one on shelves on January 6, 2026! @lauradaveauthor has done it again! 🤩

This fast paced sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me picks right off where the first left off and it is anything but a slow burn. You are thrown right back into the whirlwind with Hannah and Bailey as they navigate the politics and aftermath of Nicholas and Frank’s partnership. This story focuses more on their relationship and the backstory that lead them to the conflict that pushed Owen into hiding and thrust Hannah and her daughter into the dark world of organized crime. The writing captures the deep familial bonds that motivate each character and pulls at your heartstrings. I hope the tv show gets to continue and we can see this play out on screen too!

#thelastthinfhetoldme #netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgallyreviewer #fivestarreview⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #fivestarbooks #thrillerreads #lauradave #greatsequels #bookstagram #bookreviews #bookreviewer

4.5 start

Oooooo this was a good one. At first I was like, really? A sequel?! So long after the first one!? but this was good. It was emotional and suspenseful and the flashbacks made sense and didn't just flashback for no reason at all. I did have to remind myself what happened at the end of the last book since it's been like 5 years but once I did I was right back in it. There were a couple loose ends I would've liked to have seen closed and a couple more chapters I would have enjoyed but I cant complain. I think book club will like this one.

⟡𓂃 ⟡ 𓂃 ⟡🔪 First and foremost, I want to thank NetGalley and the author for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review 🔪⟡𓂃 ⟡ 𓂃 ⟡

This was the perfect follow-up to The Last Thing He Told Me. Sequels don’t always feel necessary, but this one absolutely did. From the very first chapter, I was hooked. The tension picks up immediately, and yet it never feels rushed or overdone. Instead, Laura Dave weaves in just the right amount of suspense while keeping the emotional weight of Hannah and Bailey’s story at the forefront.

What I loved most was how the relationship between Hannah and Bailey has grown since the first book. You can feel the years of trust, loss, and resilience they’ve shared, and it makes every decision they face together even more powerful. Hannah’s determination is unwavering, but Bailey’s voice feels stronger here too, and the two of them make such a compelling pair. Their bond really carried the story for me—it’s what made me care about the outcome even more than the danger surrounding them.

That said, the thriller side of the novel definitely kept me on edge. The pacing is quick, with twists that had me flipping pages late into the night. It’s the kind of story where you keep telling yourself “just one more chapter” until suddenly you’ve finished the whole book. The balance of action and emotion worked well, and while some parts felt almost too fast, I still appreciated how tightly the plot was put together.

The ending left me satisfied, even if I wouldn’t complain about spending more time with these characters. It struck the right chord—hopeful but grounded, not too neat but not too bleak either. For me, that’s what made this sequel so worthwhile.

This was a good sequel. A very quick read and it kept me entertained. I love that it picked up very seamlessly. You will most certainly enjoy this book if you loved the first in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

4⭐️ Thank you for this ARC! I had super high hopes for this one because the first book was 5⭐️ in my opinion and this did not disappoint! I read this book in 48 hours. It was so quick and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I was already so invested in the characters and couldn’t put it down. I’d recommend this book for anyone who likes dual timelines and unforgettable characters.

With its multiple perspectives, varied timelines, rapid chapters, and captivating storyline, this book truly has everything! Laura Davis has once again delivered with this sequel to “The Last Thing He Told Me.” I stayed up far too late engrossed in this gripping read. I adore how seamlessly it picks up right where the first one left off, immersing me back into Hannah Hall’s world with such brilliance. This book is packed with action, and I was thrilled to be part of every moment!

Really good sequel to The Last Thing Her Told Me! I actually think I liked this book better than the first one. It really picks up right where it left off although five years have passed by.

Bailey and Hannah are once again in danger and need to make a quick escape. The book is present day but also takes you back to the previous years so you can find out what has happened to Owen all the years he has been gone. You also learn more about Nicholas’ past and why he wound up working for Frank. I really liked reading the back story.

The book was really good and kept me turning the pages. I hope they make this one into a series too.

I love that this sequel picks up perfectly after the first. It is a quick, suspenseful read. I felt like it was intriguing, however. I didn't love the flashbacks. They did provide context, which I liked but would have preferred less flashbacks and more current timeline. Overall, it was good and a quick read

Laura Dave is BACK (and better than ever)!

The Last Thing He Told Me was one of my favorite reads back in 2021. I highly suggest rereading that book first if it’s not fresh in your mind. Lots of characters make an appearance in the sequel!

It was so fun being back in Hannah and Bailey’s world in The First Time I Saw Him. This book takes place five years after The Last Thing He Told Me ended. I loved seeing how Hannah and Bailey’s mother/daughter relationship changed and grew over the years. In addition, this book was SUSPENSEFUL. I was so engrossed in the story that I read it in a day. And the plot twists were goooodd. Definitely didn’t see them coming! Highly recommend picking this book up on release day.

Big thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this! I read the first book a few years ago so I had to Google what happened, but this book also did a good job of reminding me. It was really exciting and surprisingly emotional. Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for this ARC!

I thought the beginning portion of this novel was really suspenseful; then the last part was more reflective with flashbacks that wove through the story. I enjoyed it; it had been several years since I read The Last Thing He Told Me but the details came to me as I kept reading.