I swear, I always laugh out loud to any Kristan Higgin's book. She writes such wonderful stories that not only make you think, but also make you enjoy the ride. This book was no exception!

Kate and Ainsley are half sisters but they don't have much of a relationship. Ainsley is the daughter of "the other woman". Kate's dad has never been faithful to her mom and although her parents got divorced (and he married Ainsley's mother), they got remarried after Ainsley's mother died. Things change though when Kate and her husband attend a party at Ainsley's house, celebrating that her boyfriend is cancer free. Ainsley is sure that Eric is about to propose on the night of the party. Instead a tragedy happens that brings Kate and Ainsley closer together even as it pushes her and Eric apart.

On Second Thought is a novel about sisters and family relationships as well as grieving the loss of a spouse and the loss of a relationship. I think the author does a good job of showing how both sisters have been affected by their parents' respective marriages, Ainsley in particular. Kate's mom was a piece of work. I didn't care for her at all. Their dad wasn't much better. It was good to see Kate and Ainsley reach out to each other and develop a better relationship.

In addition to the family drama there is also some romance. That aspect of the novel didn't work quite as well for me in some ways (I'm purposefully being vague to avoid spoilers) though it did aid the characters' development. Overall however I liked this book and thought it was a great followup to If You Only Knew. The main characters from that one make cameo appearances here as both books are set in the same town but you can read this book independently. I loved the focus on sisterhood and the development of both characters. It was especially nice to see Ainsley grow. I hope Kristan Higgins hopes to write books like this. I will happily read them all!

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

So I liked this story but I wouldn’t say that I loved it. The characters are odd to me. Not so odd that I couldn’t enjoy them but there is just something odd about them. Ainsley just wants to be loved and she sticks with a guy for 11 years even though he is self centered and obnoxious. Kate is older and finds love with Nathan but months after the wedding he dies. Kate is a bit lost and delusional in her desire to be pregnant from her deceased husband.

Now none of that sounds weird but it is. Ainsley and Kate were never close as half sisters but their shared loss brings them together. Of the 450+ pages the first half of book is sadness and loss. A bit of sisters coming together. The second half is them finding what they really want from life. It has a bit of hate to love relationship and friends to lovers relationship.

The problem is I can’t really even say what this story is… It is about love and romance? No. Is it about sisterly bonding? No not really. But I can tell you one thing…..Gram Gram is adorable in her dementia.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyed the humor, characters, and relationships immensely.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it straight through, in about a day and a half. I also enjoyed Kristan Higgins last book in much the same way. Good characters, plot, with depth, but also with a happy ending. Much of the detail on living through grief rang true for me. A great read, would be enjoyed by fans of Emily Giffin.

Why haven't I read Kristan Higgins before now?? I loved this book from start to finish. The story of two sisters, Kate and Ainsley, but it's really about so much more. It's about their relationship as sisters, their relationships with their friends, lovers and other family members. Plenty of twists and turns will keep readers up long into the night.

A change from the Higgins' books I usually read

I have read author Higgins' books in the past knowing:

there was going to be at least one fun romance in the story; and
there was going to be at least one dog; and
there was going to be irreverent humour.

What do I do now that she seems to have changed her writing formula (in this book at least) to more of women's fiction rather than romantic comedy? Well, at first I grumbled a lot. I chose this book to read because I wanted something light and fluffy. I wasn't in the mood for death, stoic men, narcissistic men, failed relationships, and sister troubles.

But, as you might guess, that's what I got...and I found out that's just what I needed.

There is love and romance and plenty of humor but there's also pain and lessons learned and relationships ended and new ones started.

The book is told by two half-sisters and takes place near New York City. Kate is 40 years old, a photographer and I loved her character. Ainsley is the younger stepsister, full of life and optimism and I also loved her.

No more details because that would ruin the story for you. Just read it and enjoy this new offering by Higgins.

I received this book from Harlequin Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.

I was so impressed with this book. Not because I haven't always loved Kristan Higgins' writing, but because On Second Thought felt so much more raw than her other novels. It still had that sassy humor and sparkling romantic element to it, but it also had heartbreak so deep and jarring. I wasn't expecting it, but I loved it. (Here's where I have to admit that I didn't expect it because I didn't read the blurb of this book before reading it. I just saw Kristan Higgins wrote it and was in.)

The characters in On Second Thought were spectacular. I loved ever single one of them -- even the evil ones. I was especially impressed with the two main characters, Kate and Ainsley. Kate and Ainsley were sisters, but they weren't close. When both of their lives implode, they find themselves leaning on each other for support. I empathized with both of them. I've never been through what Kate was going through, but I could understand her despair and confusion. I loved the frankness of her point of view. Her thoughts and feelings felt natural. Ainsley was very easy for me to identify with. The feelings of contentment with taking care of her loved ones and being pleasant with those around her really hit home with me.

One of my favorite characters in this book was evil Eric. Higgins couldn't have made him more perfect. Everything he did made me want to smack him. I hated him, but I loved what his character brought to the story. Plus, his stupidity made me laugh.

The thing that made On Second Thought truly special was the journey Kristan Higgins took the reader on. I experienced heartbreak, grief, healing and the possibility of life after all of those things. The journey through all the emotions was beautifully crafted and well-timed. I loved every moment of this book.

On Second Thought is Kristan Higgins' second foray into women's fiction and exploring the bonds of sisterhood, but hopefully it won't be her last. I loved this story so much, and I know other readers will as well.

I heard about Kristan Higgins from Pop Culture Happy Hour, and since reading one of her recent books I was interested in reviewing what she did next. Marketing wise, the book seems to be part romance/ part women's fiction, and I liked it a great deal.

The book description makes it seem like the story relies more on the concept than the characters, but Higgins excels at making her characters real, psychologically at least. On Second Thought is the story of two sisters, or actually half-sisters, one on the brink of becoming engaged and one who becomes a widow at her sister's presumed engagement party. Kate, the older sister, hadn't been married long, is mired in grief and conflicted because she didn't know her husband as well as some of his friends and his family members knew him. Ainsley, the younger sister, on the other hand, is at the end of an 11 year relationship that she believed was headed to marriage, and she's a bit adrift professionally and personally as the story begins.

This is the second Higgins book I've read and the second to take place on an upstate town on the Hudson, it's also the second book to feature two sisters. It seems like a bit of an aspirational lifestyle kind of setting, but with characters with believable characters. It doesn't feel as rushed as some books feel, especially with this dramatic a storyline. And what I loved most is that Higgins for the most part makes her characters real.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. From the overview, I thought it was going to be a tear jerker. While there were some sad parts, the author also wrote with a sense of humor. They say laughter is the best medicine and I think this book was a good example. Nice job Ms. Higgins!

ARC from Harlequin via Netgalley

*TISSUES NEEDED* I loved this story. It had everything. Any emotion you can think of was included in this book. My heart truly bled for some of these characters.

My favorite lines: Lunch is on me, oh, no, lunch is on you. Ha!!! And, will you please forgive me? I forgive you. Pow, sucker punch and a walk out the door. Loved these lines. Now those of you who haven't read the book have no idea what I'm talking about. Well you will just have to wonder until you do.

Poor Kate she only knew Nathan a total of nine months and now she's a widow. Ainsley was with Eric for 11 years before he broke up with her. Both sisters thought they had the rest of their lives set and were going to be happy forever. Well, that was not the case.

I don't know how long this book was, but I became a part of these sisters. That definitely had to be the writing. The author made them seem so real, the town, everything. I've read several books by this author and I have to say I think this one touched me the most.

Huge thanks to Harlequin for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

When you start a Kristan Higgins book, you know what you are getting into…or at least I do! You will laugh. You will cry. You will walk away having a new fictional best friend. You will want to head straight to the Pound to pick out an adorable mutt. But what I wasn’t expecting as I dug into her newest release was to fall into the story and the lives and the triumphs and the tragedies of these characters as much as I did. Listen. I LOVE Kristan Higgins. Love, love. She is one of my top go to authors. But she has blown me away with her last two releases. BLOWN. ME. AWAY. Hello, book hangover, it’s been a while.

In On Second Thought, we follow the lives of two sisters, Kate and Ainsley. These two women are not that close when the story starts. There is an age gap and they are very different. But things happen to both of them that will make your heart break. Oh, the heartbreak! And the tears! Never fear though because Higgins waves her magical literary wand and we are laughing and crying at the same time, but it’s all good. No joke, there is a reason this woman is my favorite.

The evolving relationship between Kate and Ainsely and the people that are in their lives is a beautiful thing. As you watch them lean on each other and make each other stronger you just want to dive into the pages and yell…I’m here too, I can help, I’ll pour you some more wine! I just can’t get over how much I grew to love these characters but I shouldn’t be surprised that I want to be their best friend. I’ve read every Higgins novel; I know what she is capable of.

Let me tell you, this book is not just a story, it is a journey. The healing and the growth are just breathtaking.

We also get signature Higgins quirky characters. The Grandmother that is on tinder, the mom that is so in unrequited love with her husband she gets a PhD and becomes a self help columnist, the Hot HOT firefighter and his multi flavor love life, the blog posts, the dogs, the friends and don’t forget THE TOWN! Don’t ever forget the town. On Second Thought is set in the fictional town of Cambry-on-Hudson, a NYC suburb, and it is the second book in which she used that setting. Her first was If You Only Knew and for inquiring minds, was just as fantastic. Also worth noting, there are things that would be considered spoilers if your didn’t read IYOK first, even though both of these books stand-alone. We do meet up with a few of the characters that appeared in IYOK and we get some updates on others.

This book is such a beautiful story. As with typical Higgins, we get closed door sexy times. And I would say this is not a typical romance read, more of a woman’s fictional read with a splash of romance. This book is real life. (Or at least, unfortunately to me, real fictional life seeing as I want to live in it!) Higgins never ceases to amaze me. Every time, I shake my head and wonder how she does it. I love an easy to read book with heart. And DAMN, if she doesn’t deliver every single time. If you have never read a Kristan Higgins novel, I highly recommend them. Any on them but especially this one; the one where she had me forgetting she introduced me to that motherfucker Lucas in Waiting On You. See? Magic.

This book tore my heart out bit by bit. The relationship between sisters, Kate and Ainsley, as they faced loss, anger, fear, betrayal, redemption, and love pulled me in until I felt like part of the story. It also had unexpected bouts humor that made me laugh out loud. It is rare when I read a book that makes me feel so much and wish that I knew these people in read life. Don't miss this great read!

There was a lot to love about this book...but also a lot of elements that I wished weren't there. Ultimately, not one I would be comfortable recommending to most readers.

Well, Kristin Higgins has done it again. I adored On Second Thought and I’m pretty sure it’s not just because I know I will love anything Higgins writes before I even read the first page. She has a knack for the perfect balance of romance, humor, tragedy, etc. in every book. She creates characters that readers love and connect with. This story is no exception.

There is so much to love about this book. The character development is on point, as always. Without being too verbose or explicit, Higgins manages to reveal each character to readers expertly. I like that the characters are flawed, human—these are people readers can identify with. Of course, there is a lovable dog—a must in every Higgins story! The plot is plausible and believable (something I find lacking in many romance books) but also surprising & enjoyable to read. The charming setting Higgins describes transports readers to the quaint town in which the story takes place.

Kate and Ainsley are both lovable. Although sisters, they are not alike in many ways nor are they that close, until tragedy brings them closer together. Higgins has a special ability to make even tragedies humorous. Without giving too much away about the plot, Kate & Ainsley embark on many changes throughout the book. Every character is significant in their journeys & make for a rich story. I highly recommend this one, especially for Higgins fans!

Kate O'Leary Coburn is a 39-year old photographer who after four months of marital bliss finds herself a widow after her husband Nathan's sudden death. Her half sister, Ainsley has lived with boyfriend Eric Fisher for 11 years and is excited about getting engaged only to find herself unceremoniously dumped. Surprisingly, Kate and Ainsley turn to each other for support, even though they haven't ever had a close relationship.

I'm used to Higgins creating quirky, interesting characters and this story is no different in that respect. However, Kate and Ainsley's journey through their respective heartaches is one of substance as we see their relationship with each other deepen and strengthen while coming to terms with their grief and family issues.

The story is presented in the two alternating narratives of Kate and Ainsley, which really worked for me as you captured contrasting perspectives of the same events. At times, I thought that some of the minutiae presented was just that but over the course of the book, it became apparent that when combined, those details were important in the character development and to the story. Both women were so different and I liked each, especially Ainsley with her kind spirit and wonderful outlook. Their insights were revealing not only about themselves but the people important in their lives.

I really enjoyed this story and am loving Higgins' shift to contemporary fiction. There are definitely romantic elements in the story but they are not the primary emphasis. It's a rich and textured exploration of family and relationships, how they influence our choices as adults. It's a long journey (almost 500 pages) but I was sorry to let these characters go when I reached the end. (FYI, this story is loosely connected to If You Only Knew, both set in Cambry-on-Hudson, New York.)

A poignant, entertaining read. Ainsley's internal monologue as her world sort of comes crashing down really drew me into the story. I loved the Mr. Darcy-esque characterization of Jonathan and their mutual disdain for one another that morphs into a romantic relationship later. While the book blurb mentions the murky family dynamics between Ainsley and Kate, I found their relationship arc as the novel progressed to be plausible and realistic. The pages turned quickly for me on this one. Can't wait to read more from this author.

A tale of two sisters, or more specifically, two half-sisters who both go through interconnected life altering events and come out the other side learning to see themselves as the heroines of their own lives. Kate has always seemed to be a self-assured, successful woman. She married later in life to a man with an ex-wife which adds drama to the mix. When Kate becomes a widow after only four months of marriage, her whole world is tilted on its axis. Ainsley, her younger sister, has been with her boyfriend since college fully expecting them to marry and so has devoted much of her life to being his partner and supporter especially through his recent illness. Ainsley’s sweet, charming nature makes her the type of person everyone likes to be around because her happy vibes help them to feel good. Ainsley’s boyfriend took all that loving goodness and, in the way of love lives played out on social media, he breaks up with her in the public eye. Both women are dealt hard and cruel blows although Kate’s seems so much worse as the loss of a loved one is the ultimate pain in life. While each of these events are cataclysmic to them, this becomes a story of reaching deep down as each woman finds who she is and what she needs to live the best and truest life.

Kate is firmly stuck in the stages of grief feeling so lost and disoriented. Ainsley is trying to handle her own emotional tsunami moving in with Kate since the “beloved” kicked her to the curb. She also has a lot of emotional baggage from being a step-daughter although she presents a light-hearted loving front to family and friends. Together these sisters, who have never been that close due in part to awkward circumstances with their mutual father, face the dark and difficult challenges of overcoming what life has thrown at them when they thought everything was near perfect. The story has a lot of heart wrenching emotional content that will touch the reader deeply, but as always with Kristan Higgans, there is an underlying humor that lightens the load and lets some joy peak through. This is very much a work of Women’s Fiction not one of the romances such as her Blue Heron series.

Families are complicated, messy, and often frustrating; add that to the challenges of marriage and dating and you have a recipe for a complex but heartfelt story. As Kate and Ainsley struggle through their overturned lives, hope begins to peak on the horizon where they just might find love again in unexpected places.

Kate and Ainsley are half sisters, but they feel worlds apart most of the time. Kate is reserved, classical, and practical. Ainsley is fashionable, whimsical and fun. But when they each find themselves alone after their respective romantic situations fall apart, their sisterly love shines through righteously.

Some of this story just broke my heart, and I wasn’t sure I could get through the despair (Higgins writes a near perfect illustration of grief, by the way). Then I noticed I was only a quarter of the way through the book, leaving PLENTY of time for redemption, hugs, and gluing hearts back together.

My most favorite part of this whole book, even more awesome than the sister love (which is pretty awesome, and a big part of the story), even snazzier than the Tiffany ring (big!), and even more heartwarming than the boss finding a soft spot in his heart for an employee (unexpected!), was Daniel the Hot Firefighter. Higgins masterfully wove him in as comic relief and a reliable pal, but he was so much more. Aside from his witty banter and alpha male-ism, Daniel the Hot Firefighter symbolized Hope… hope for a future when the present is bleak, hope for women looking for a good man, hope for children needing a father figure.

I kind of guessed where Daniel the Hot Firefighter would end up at the close of the story, and I was so glad that my guess only scratched the surface. Look for your Hot Firefighter, people. You never know when you’ll need to be rescued, and he will be there with a generous heart… and a smile.

https://randombookmuses.com/2017/01/04/review-on-second-thought-by-kristan-higgins/

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1866255084