The First Time I Saw Him: A Reese's Book Club Pick

The first book and couldn't wait to read the second. Lots of information that clears up things and the characters are developed even farther. Love these two books

On the first page of the first book I was hooked.I read the first book in less than a day & the second.One of my favorites EVER! Enjoy!

Writing still great. Gave much background info. Still suspenseful and good character descriptions. A truly enjoyable sequel

I was so excited when I say a sequel to the first book as been published. It is well written with many twists and turns that keeps you reading. You become invested in the characters and cry and celebrate with them.

Spoilers Alert!! This sequel was excellent! So many twists and turns. It had me hooked just like the 1st book. The love and trust that Hannah and Bailey had. Mother and daughter was great. Hannah planned for an emergency escape. Her quick thinking saved them. Not only did it save her daughter but it saved Nicholas her somewhat father-n-law. Owen had helped with the escape plan as well. The two ladies didn’t know of this until further in the book. This mob type of family were cruel and heartless. I believe the eldest daughter Quinn had something to do with Kate death. For no one to have any real answers to someone being ran over by a car and killed in broad daylight. This family that has so much influence and control and is so wealthy. Couldn’t give Nicholas the answers he needed and deserved. I think he finally realized that it was him and his involvement with this dangerous family that got his daughter killed. And that started this whole thing. That’s why he chose to finally forgive Owen. The only disappointment is not reading more interaction with Owen and Hannah at the end. Wanted to hear her yell, cuss, cry or anything to her husband who has been running/ hiding for almost six years. Great read I love this author’s writing! Didn’t want to put the book down!

If you loved The Last Thing He Told Me, you will enjoy this book.

The book has got it!! Plot twists are well managed and moving through the action and the final ending.Lots of authors can write twists, but few can make a reader see the town, smell the food, and return to end the best way possible.

Book 2 of 2. Gave it 5 stars because I thoroughly enjoyed it and book 1, The Last Thing He Told Me. Not the typical story and they both completely held my attention.

Wow. That was an incredible follow up to her first book. I kept being hit by all of the plot twists that I should have expected but sure didn’t see coming. What would you do to secure the safety of your family? What wouldn’t you do? I love the characters in this duo-logy.

Awesome book all of her books are amazing. You just get so caught up in the characters that you feel like you’re a part of the story. Love everyone of her books!

Well-written follow-up to The Last Thing He Told Me, this sequel ties up the unraveling mystery from book 1. This novel catches us up with a cast of mostly likable characters and gives a satisfactory resolution.However, the most puzzling part of this mystery for me, was how a step-mom could be so attached to a surly teenager. The step-parent devotion described in this book is a somewhat mythical-level, dream scenario and what every parent would want for their child - but few see.

Wow! This sequel did not disappoint! I read it in 24 hours. It’s very fast paced and picks up exactly where the first book leaves off. The Apple TV movie is also good - the first book. Loved everything about both books!

I needed this after the first book, but now I want more 😬😩 do we think there will be a third book??

I re-read the first book, which I enjoyed again, as it had been a while, and I' m glad I did. This is a different kind of thriller with characters who you care about, innocent and guilty, having to deal with the past and present. It was satisfying to find out what happened.

4.75 Stars rounded up to 5 Stars.I love Laura Dave’s writings style.This story is intricately woven & beautifully written.I would suggest reading The Last Thing He Told Me first (or re-reading it prior to reading this book).[This is the reason that I took off 1/4 Star.]What would you do to protect your child/children/loved ones?I highly recommend all of Laura Dave’s books!I hope you enjoy this story, too. 😊

I was really looking forward to this one after loving the first book in the series, and while The First Time I Saw Him does deliver the important backstory, it didn’t completely pull me in the way I hoped.I appreciated the multiple POVs and absolutely loved Hannah as a female lead—she’s strong, thoughtful, and easy to root for. The character development overall is well done, especially the deeper look into Bailey’s grandfather, Nicholas, whose backstory was one of the highlights for me.That said, the story itself wasn’t a page-turner. I found myself reading quickly more to finish it and see how everything wrapped up rather than because I couldn’t put it down. The emotional and relational layers were there, but the pacing felt slower than expected.I went back and forth between a 3 and a 4 star rating, but ultimately landed on 4 stars—largely because of how much I loved the first book and how well the characters are developed here. While it didn’t fully captivate me, I still appreciated the depth and continuity it added to the series.

I enjoyed the book but it has similarities to The Firm which I kept thinking of as they hatched their plan for freedom.

I expected to love this book and was so disappointed when I didn't. Laura Dave is such an amazing writer. The writing was wonderful but I did not enjoy this story. It was lacking all of the love and caring that The Last Thing He Told Me captured. It felt to me like a book that needed to be pushed out to meet a deadline.

This was a really good sequel to the first book. I LOVED the first book and although it was really good,I had to give this one less star than I did it’s predecessor. Maybe I’m not being fair because I loved the first one so much.Very good sequel, a book I wasn’t expecting and didn’t know I needed it, so if you liked the first one , read it.

📚✨ Book Review ✨📚The First Time I Saw Himby Laura Dave⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️The Vibe: A relentless, emotional chase.Five years after Owen vanished, Hannah and Bailey have finally built something that feels like peace in Southern California—family, routine, and a way forward. That fragile stability shatters when Owen suddenly appears at one of Hannah’s art exhibitions. What follows is a tense race across past and present as Hannah fights to protect Bailey while confronting the possibility that forgiveness might reopen a door she thought was permanently closed.This sequel is even more gripping and fast-moving than the first. I was hooked from page one and stayed that way. It answers so many lingering questions—especially surrounding Owen’s choices, his long arc toward revenge, and what really happened to Kate. Those added layers give the story a deeper, sharper emotional punch.Hannah and Bailey feel stronger and more connected than ever, and watching their bond deepen under pressure was one of my favorite parts. We also get a surprisingly tender look at Nicholas—still fierce and protective, but now fully stepped into his role as a devoted grandfather.What stayed with me most is the book’s focus on forgiveness—how messy it is, how costly, and how rarely it comes with clean answers. It’s suspenseful, yes, but also deeply emotional and reflective. If you loved the first book for its heart as much as its mystery, this is a satisfying continuation. 💔📖Read if you like: fast-paced sequels, found family, and “on the run” tension.