I was surprised when I found out that this sequel had been written, because the first installment, The Last Thing He Told Me, had felt like a fully realized, stand alone novel. I really wish that had been the case. This book felt rushed and clunky and weirdly complicated with confusing characters and just was not necessary. It also desperately needs additional editing, with tons of repetition and weird chiastic phrasing that felt like padding for a short novel that was lacking substantive plot. Honestly, this feels like a money grab on the coattails of the first successful book and miniseries. Disappointing. Thank you Net Galley for this advance reader copy.

The way I absolutely SQUEALED with excitement when I found out about this book- unlike many others, I did NOT know this was coming. I was a huge fan of the first book (and the Apple TV series adoption too), and I was SO happy to jump back into Hannah, Bailey, Nicolas, and Owen's world. Short, engaging chapters that often ended on a cliffhanger made this something that I devoured in less than 24 hours. It's been YEARS since I read the first book and the details were a little fuzzy to me, but as I read, it all came back to me. I will agree with another review that I read that much of this was far-fetched but I loved it all the same. If you're looking for an engaging and dramatic (and smart) mystery, absolutely pick this one up (but disclaimer, you MUST have read The Last Time I Saw Him first. Absolutely required, otherwise you will have NO clue what is going on).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This one publishes January 6, 2026-- add it to your TBR now.

The much-anticipated sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me dives straight back into Hannah and Bailey’s world of danger and uncertainty. Nearly six years later, Owen briefly reappears, leaving Hannah a flash drive before vanishing again, only for her to receive a chilling message: “Get out now.” From there, the pace never lets up, with constant tension, high-stakes chases, and flashbacks that slowly piece together the bigger picture. The heart of the story remains Hannah and Bailey’s relationship, which is written with warmth and depth, alongside a few other key family ties. At just over 250 pages, the novel is brisk, tightly plotted, and filled with twists that keep you guessing until the end. A worthy follow-up that satisfies while leaving the door open for more.

This is not going to be a good review.

I honestly don't know why I read it because I didn't like the first one. It was all just two far fetched to me (BAM DINSOSAURS - but instead THE MOB).

I probably just read this so someone couldn't lie to me and say this book was better than the first one. That being dais there was nothing fundamentally wrong with this book but it wasn't my cup of tea and I forced myself to read it. So I can't give it less than 3 stars because that would be mean.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this eARC so I didn't have to spend money on it

I loved this book! 5 stars just like the first one!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited for this sequel!

The First Time I Saw Him picks up five years after Owen disappeared, and we find Hannah and Bailey living a quieter life and beginning to heal. But when Owen suddenly reappears, danger isn’t far behind. Once again, Hannah and Bailey are thrust into a race for survival, and this story takes us on a rollercoaster of family bonds, forgiveness, and second chances.

The tension is constant with this one! I loved Hannah and Bailey and the way their relationship has grown and the love they have for each other.
There is a balance of the heart pounding suspense and emotional depth.
If you loved The Last Thing He Told Me, you are definitely going to want to pick this sequel up.

It’s been a few years since I read Laura Dave’s "The Last Thing He Told Me," but that story stayed with me—especially the heartbreaking ending that left me wanting more. I didn’t even know there was more until I saw "The First Time I Saw Him" offered as an ARC on NetGalley. I jumped at the chance to find out what happened with Hannah and Bailey. Would they ever reunite with Owen? Or were they destined to spend their lives looking over their shoulders. To say I devoured this book is an understatement. From the first page, I was hooked. Owen looms large, constantly working behind the scenes to protect and reconnect with his family. Meanwhile, Hannah and Bailey have built a quiet life—Bailey fresh out of college with her first real job, and Hannah expanding her woodturning business—until everything collapses with the dreaded message telling them to run.

Once again relying on their network of friends, Hannah and Bailey are forced on the move, this time from Frank’s children, who have no intention of honoring the protection agreement Nicholas made with Frank. . The story is fast-paced, tense, and ultimately satisfying, though it definitely feels like there’s more to come (I hope so!). An incredible sequel that pulls you right back into this world. Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for the advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5. Release date 1/26/2026. What a fast paced, good read. At 288 pages, this is a follow up to a popular book done right. If you’ve read The Last Thing He Told Me, you will jump right back into this novel like it hasn’t been year since the first one. This was such an action packed, page turner that was the PERFECT length, got you hooked immediately, and kept you guessing.

I already know it will be a hit. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC it was a fun ride.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

I really enjoyed the first book and was excited to see that this was a sequel. But honestly, there was no need for a sequel and it actually tarnished my memory of the original book. This felt whiny and annoying to me. I’m not totally sure what the problem was but I really think it’s that it just wasn’t necessary.

I was very excited to read this sequel and be back with the characters! It picked up seamlessly from the first book. The short chapters worked well to keep the pacing, and the dual timelines worked well. Overall, it was a great sequel!

This sequel wastes no time — picking up right where the epilogue of The Last Thing He Told Me leaves off — and pulls you right back into the high-stakes twists, danger, and intrigue. I may have liked this even more than the original. The pacing is relentless, the tension sharp, and every chapter leaves you needing to know what happens next.

🛑 Spoilers Below 🛑

The book opens with Hannah spotting Owen at an art exhibit — but before she can process it, she receives a text: Get out of the house now. She and Bailey launch into an escape plan, quickly learning Nicholas is dead… or so they think.

When Owen slipped Hannah a flash drive during their brief encounter, she realizes it holds a hidden message. Following the trail leads her to Paris, where she learns Nicholas is alive and working with Owen to find a way to end his hiding. Nicholas had struck a deal with the organization to keep Hannah and Bailey safe, but once news of his death breaks, the group moves in on them.

Instead of running to safety with Bailey, Hannah chooses to go with Nicholas to confront the organization directly. She discovers they were behind the death of Nicholas’s daughter — Owen’s ex-wife — but ultimately, a new deal is brokered to leave Owen alone. The story closes with Hannah finally reuniting with Owen, ending on a satisfying note that still leaves room for the heart to race.

Fast-paced, twisty, and immersive — this is a follow-up that delivers on every promise.

2.5 ⭐️ Thanks netgalley for the ARC! I was really excited to get this as I thought the first book was fun / soapy / nuts. I went in blind, because sequels, and then remembered most sequels don’t usually need exist. After the first book I thought Hannah was a badass but then this book made me forget about her. It was more about Nicholas, Frank & Owen which…eh? If this was just a prequel about N & F, fine that would be cool. But I think it’s too easy that they got to live happily ever after and I don’t care that Owen is a wine guy now. I don’t really care about him at all to be honest. I also don’t know why Quinn and Teddy are so bad at business. Or don’t understand anything that goes on around them? Either way. I wish I left Hannah in LA doing her own thing, being mom / daughter with Bailey.

I went into this with very high expectations, as I absolutely loved and tore through The Last Thing He Told Me. This one fell off just a bit, as Hannah was not the strong female lead I found her to be in the original. This story had much more back story about Owen, Nicholas and Frank, and what led to the doomed partnership and friendship that led to the downward spiral. Hannah somewhat takes a back seat to their stories.

First- do I need to read the first or does this work as a standalone? You need to read the first. You probably need to re-read it, unless you have recently watched the Apple TV series. It starts off exactly where the epilogue ends.

Some of the ambigious open questions are answered, and this is in NO way a slow burn, it is action packed from page one through the end. It was less surprising- less mystery more thriller. It was interesting to see the growth in Owen and Hannah the past 5 years. This is one of those books that I always wanted a sequel and here we are.

3.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC. Book to be published January 6, 2026.

I want to start by saying that I am a huge fan of Laura Dave. I have read all of her books and will continue to do so. That said, I didn’t enjoy The Last Thing He Told Me. I found the storyline over the top and it was not fleshed out well. I liked the TV show even less.

But this book, The First Time I Saw Him - now this is good. It is the sequel to The Last Thing and starts where the first book left off. The sequel fills in all the gaps, the pieces missing from the original. It makes the whole plot feel more real and relatable.

This is the book I wish came first, the one I needed to understand Owen, Hannah’s and Bailey’s journey. Oh and Nicholas, from mob lawyer to an involved grandfather. His story broke my heart in this book.

From a reader who can’t believe I’m saying this now, I hope there’s a 3rd installment of this story to come!

This sequel picks up right after the first book. I feel like questions were answered and I left with wanting the to know the future of Hannah, Bailey, and Owen. Where do they go from here? Satisfying, full of angst, heart, and enough tension and mystery to keep me fully involved. Well-done sequel.

The First Time I Saw Him
Laura Dave
Pub: 1/6/2026
4.5⭐️

Holy cow Laura Dave did it again. Dare I say even better this time?

The Last Thing He Told Me was a top read from 2024 but I desperately wanted more Hannah, Owen and Bailey! When I heard that we were getting a sequel I literally could not wait to get my hands on it.

** Here is where we pause and I tell you to go back and reread TLTHTM before diving in! I did it and you won’t regret it. You will however love it even more the second time around.

The First Time I Saw Him picks up right where we left off and I was instantly on the edge of my seat for this action packed ride. Oh my gosh was this sequel fantastic. The perfect continuation and conclusion though I think I’ll always want more. It was twisty, suspenseful, and I thrived on learning more about the characters and getting some long awaited answers. Dave packed so much into less than 300 pages and I devoured it.

What I loved;
✨ Action Packed Thriller
✨ Family Drama
✨ Unexpected Twists
✨ Fast-Paced
✨ More Hannah, Owen, and Bailey

Absolutely would recommend. I already plan to reread once I can get my hands on the audio.

Thank you so much to Scribner Books and NetGalley for the gifted copies.

When I saw this pop up in my queue, I dropped everything else I was reading to jump in. And it definitely maintained that high level of interest for me from start to finish. A perfect thriller - fast-paced and a very satisfying follow-up to Laura Dave's hit novel, "The Last Thing He Told Me." If you haven't read it, go read it now - available wherever you borrow or purchase books. 😉 The story picks up where the first novel ends - 5 years after Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey, are separated from Hannah's husband and Bailey's father, Owen. The story follows all three as they fight for their lives and fight to be together as a family again. A story of sacrifice and enduring love that takes the reader on a journey from California and Miami to the Mediterranean Sea. Thank you so much to #NetGalley, the author, and Scribner for the opportunity to review this ARC. All views expressed are my own.

I love the characters and the story. I really enjoyed this book and it's predecessor. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

The First Time I Saw Him is a continuation of the first novel. We are reintroduced to Hannah and Bailey who are living a domino of fear from past actions. Owen, the missing husband has been working on a safe plan for reunification. The novel was captivating.., I think I held my breath waiting for the end! I couldn't put it down.