I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing is fast-paced and well-crafted. The sequel was good, but it felt somewhat brief.

The theme of family and the lengths we go to protect our loved ones resonated with me. I loved witnessing the relationship between Hannah and Bailey grow; it was emotional, complicated, and felt very authentic.

And can we talk about the ending? It was perfect and true to the story and the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had the chance to read an advanced copy of The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave, the highly anticipated sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me.

From the very first chapter, the story takes off with no slow build, just straight into the plot. I loved how the pacing kept me hooked (no distractions here!), and it truly was a “just one more chapter” kind of read.

One of the highlights for me was getting to hear more from Owen, which added a whole new layer to the story. It was refreshing to finally get pieces of his perspective while also seeing Hannah and Bailey’s relationship continue to evolve. That mix of tension and growth really gave the book its emotional pull.

At its core, this story raises the question: What will you do for the people you love? And it explores that question with phenomenal writing and a gripping pace that doesn’t let up.

Overall, this was an incredible sequel, emotional, suspenseful, and unputdownable. I can’t wait for you all to read it.

The long awaited sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me is FINALLY HERE! I read TLTHTM back in 2021 in one sitting. I absolutely loved it, devoured it. The First Time I Saw Him was no exception. One sitting, I loved it so much. Only reason I’m giving it a 4 instead of a 5 star is because I wish we got an epilogue set in the future. However, I loved every second of this novel. The way it picks up right where the other left off and never letting off the gas pedal for a second.

In the sequel right after the epilogue, Hannah has a strange man at her door then receives a text to “get out of the house now”. Immediately, her thoughts race to Owen and seeing him the night before in the gallery. Everything is put into motion after that. There are so many twists that had my jaw on the absolute floor. This is the perfect sequel.

Thank you Scribner for an e-arc!

Yeah baby! This is the sequel that we have ALL been waiting for since reading and watching The Last Thing He Told Me. I love how she started this one right back where the last one stopped and tells us the reason why he was willing to risk seeing her. Somehow Laura Dave has crafted a sequel that fits seamlessly with the first one, but starts a whole new chapter of drama and intrigue. Once I started reading it, I could NOT put this down and didn't move until I'd finished it. The way she writes it, I literally had my heart pounding in my chest. Similar to the first one, there are lots of twists and turns, and a surprise ending that I didn't see coming, but it does feel shorter (although that could just be my sadness at how quickly it was over...I could have continued reading for a lot longer).

If you loved the first book and the show, you are going to love this one, too. It's not often that a sequel does a book justice, but in this case, Laura Dave nails it.

This was a really good sequel! I can’t believe it’s been since 2021 that I read book one. Laura Dave did a really good job not making this a boring sequel and keeping me engaged throughout.

I was thrilled to learn Laura Dave had written a sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me. Although I liked that book a smidge better, this one was also great!

Glad that I got a chance to read this early. Unfortunately, for me, I found it a dull disappointment. However, many copies of this book will be sold and our library will purchase several of them. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

If you liked the first one you will really enjoy this well done sequel. I didn't know where this story could possibly lead after the prior book's ending, but I don't think anyone will be let down. I figure, when you begin asking your book questions out loud, that's 5 star level rating.

What an absolutely incredible sequel that I didn’t even know was in the works! This picks up right where “The last thing he told me” leaves off. It was nonstop action from the first page and I couldn’t help but finish it in a day.

So many questions from the first book were answered in this one. We get to see how everything went down up close and personal and whether Owen will end up back with his wife and daughter.

One of the things I love so much about Laura Dave’s writing is that her books always have very strong themes of love and loyalty. We see people make bad choices yet at the core of their motivation we always see love.

Laura Dave's latest thriller had me hooked from the very first page. I loved that it started off at the literal ending of the first book, and I liked the character development that continued throughout this sequel. I know it's unlikely, but I wouldn't complain about a book 3!

Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The sequel to the blockbuster The Last Thing He Told Me picks up right where it left off. It’s just as twisty and heart pounding as its predecessor. Laura Dave continues a breath taking story though there is a lot of time jumping. A lot of back and forth. It is necessary to the plot though. I’m a big fan of most of what Dave writes and this is no exception. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this preview in exchange for my honest review.

It was great fun to revisit these characters. Anyone who watched the series or read the first book will want to read this. It has the same quick pace, the same thriller characteristics, and even the same types of plot holes that you forgive because it’s such a fun read. There were two big surprises that caught me off guard, and even though they weren't completely believable I was happy to be surprised.

Thank you to Scribner for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Laura Dave is back! She left us all hanging at the end of "The Last Thing He Told Me." In this one, we start back into it right where she left off, and it's a wild ride from the get-go. It is fast-paced and very informative and fills in all of the blanks that had me wondering what was going on in the first book. It took me a little while to remember some of the details from the first one as I was reading this one, but it all wrapped up nicely for me by the end. It's just under 300 pages long, but it was enough to pack it all in. I definitely enjoyed this follow-up novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley & Scribner for an advanced eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

3.5 stars. I was very excited to read the follow up to THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME, and THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM was a good—if slightly less compelling—follow-up.

The sequel starts off five years after Owen left Hannah and Bailey, and it provides the perspectives of Hannah and several others, filling in many gaps from the first book related to why things happened as they did. There’s also some time-jumping to provide the backstory.

Unfortunately, while the plot grabbed my attention initially, the pacing slowed a bit in the middle. However, the plot was both intricately and cleverly woven, and I liked the ending. I hope Apple grabs the rights for another TV series!

🌟Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.🌟

Sequels don't always deliver but this was perfect! The story picks up right where "The Last Thing He Told Me" ended so you must read that first. Then you are off to the races with Laura Dave's signature fast pace and immersive plot. I loved reading the next stage in Hannah, Bailey, and Owen's saga. As in the first book, it's hard to tell who to trust, what is true, and how everyone can possibly make it out of the situation alive. I loved the ending (I won't say more so I don't spoil anything) but it felt very satisfying for the faithful readers. Thanks to Laura Dave, Scribner, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Dave's first two novels so knew this would be a winner! This one features Hannah and daughter, Bailey as Hannah receives an odd message: "The could have boys still love you." Intrigued, she has no idea what it means. Then we go back five years when the FBI is involved. Apparently Owen is back but must stay hidden from others! It's another wonderfully convoluted cat-and-mouse game that keeps you guessing until the bitter end!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Admittedly, I really didn't remember the plot of The Last Thing He Told Me and so I wasn't hanging on the edge of my seat waiting to read more. I just knew I'd enjoyed that one and jumped at the chance to read an advanced copy of the sequel. Kind of a mistake. There's lots of references to the first book but no good summary included. This is fast paced and kept me reading but I felt like I was playing catch-up the whole go. I also found the ending anticlimactic and a bit rushed.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Laura Dave is at her best! This sequel was everything I never knew I needed. I absolutely love how it picked up exactly where the first book left off. The author did a fabulous job seamlessly including details from book one so the reader could recall important events that had happened. The whole book was fast-paced and left me on the edge of my seat. I read it in 24 hours!

This is truly a sequel to “The Last Thing He Told Me,” so you will appreciate “The First Time I Saw Him” much better if you’ve read Laura Dave’s first installment or watched the TV series. This new book will also be the basis of season 2 on Apple TV+. TLTHTM did not end decisively; Hannah and Bailey still lost Owen — so the first novel deserves this sequel.

It’s 5 years since Hannah Hall and Bailey made an uneasy truce with Bailey’s crime syndicate grandfather Nicholas while Owen remained untraceable. Bailey isn’t the difficult teenager anymore — she’s a grown woman. Hannah and Bailey are now both in the LA area when Hannah spots the custom made wood wedding band she created for Owen — on the hand of a man not so recognizable anymore, but still her Owen. And — poof! — he’s gone again. But an anonymous text the next day tells her to look in the pocket of her jacket and another text immediately tells her to escape her house. Something has drastically changed and the protection from bad guys that Hannah and Bailey thought they had is suddenly gone.

Author Dave takes us on another wild ride, although central to the story is the fact that these three people, Hannah, Owen, and Bailey intensely love each other. We do get a deeper background via flashbacks of how Nicholas got involved with the crime syndicate. In this book, Nicholas becomes a better developed character and his “boss” Frank Campanella Pointe (who Nicholas went to jail for rather than rat him out) steps in as the wicked villain. There is much about maternal relationships and how the men of the novel feel complicated grief when their wives or daughters are threatened. An emotional and stunning follow-up to the first book, where the apprehensive loose ends get tied up at last. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO No eye colors mentioned.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO We still feel the tropical beauty of California, Florida, and the south of France.

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

I loved The Last Thing He Told Me so a follow up book? Yes please! I was so excited to read this, and it was everything I wanted and needed. Sometimes sequels aren’t necessary and just drag a story out but in this case, this sequel was needed. Love the characters and drama. I highly recommend this book but make sure you read The Last Thing He Told Me first!