The First Time I Saw Him

By: Laura Dave

Narrators: Rebecca Lowman, Tessa Albertson, Colin Donnell, CJ Wilson

Simon & Schuster Audio

ISBN: 978-1668002964

Publisher: Scribner

Publication Date: 01/06/2026

Format: Other

My Rating: 5 Stars

JAN 2026 MUST-READ BOOKS

Laura Dave continues Hannah Hall's pulse-pounding journey in the riveting and deeply moving sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling blockbuster and Apple TV+ show, The Last Thing He Told Me.

How far would you go for a second chance?

Five years after her husband, Owen, disappeared, Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey, have settled into a new life in Southern California. Together, they've forged a relationship with Bailey's grandfather Nicholas and are putting the past behind them.

But when Owen shows up at Hannah's new exhibition, she knows that she and Bailey are in danger again.

Hannah and Bailey are forced to go on the run in a relentless race to keep their past from catching up with them. As a thrilling drama unfolds, Hannah risks everything to get Bailey to safety—and finds there just might be a way back to Owen and their long-awaited second chance.

A gripping, rich, and deeply moving novel about the power of forgiveness, The First Time I Saw Him picks up right where the epilogue for the "genuinely moving" (The New York Times) The Last Thing He Told Me left off, giving readers the eagerly awaited and absolutely exhilarating sequel to Dave's global blockbuster.

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My Review

THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM by Laura Dave is the highly anticipated sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me and (Apple TV blockbuster hit). In this gripping continuation, Hannah and her stepdaughter Bailey find themselves thrust into a whirlwind of danger and uncertainty as they take flight once more. After five long years of silence, Hannah’s husband, Owen, unexpectedly resurfaces at an art show, forcing them to confront the shadows of the past.

The storyline intricately weaves together their harrowing escape across an ever-shifting landscape, delving into the complexities of their evolving relationship with Bailey’s enigmatic grandfather, Nicholas. As the tension escalates, Hannah and Bailey must navigate the treacherous paths of loyalty and love while making desperate efforts to secure their safety.

The novel crescendos with their ultimate quest not only for freedom but to find a way to reunite with Owen, intertwining themes of hope, resilience, and the deep bonds of family amid the chaos of their new reality.

My thoughts...

In THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM, the novel explores themes of second chances, the power of forgiveness, and how far one will go to protect family. Hannah, Bailey, and Owen, with Nicholas's help, navigate the dangerous situation to find a path toward a secure future, ultimately resolving the cliffhanger from the first book.

The central takeaway of The First Time I Saw Him explores the profound question: "How far would you go for a second chance?"

The relationship between Hannah and Bailey is the "emotional core" of the story, evolving from a fragile truce into a deep maternal bond that drives the entire plot.

The relationship is central because it represents the successful outcome of the first book's cliffhanger. Their connection is rooted in their shared experience of losing Owen and their biological mothers; by choosing to protect one another, they find the forgiveness and redemption that the novel identifies as its primary takeaway messages.

The sequel skillfully uses their relationship to explore accountability and second chances. Their stability is what Owen and Nicholas Bell have spent five years trying to protect through secret deals with the syndicate. Hannah and Bailey's refusal to be passive victims and their determination to stay together make their bond the moral compass of the story

Themes...

The narrative moves beyond the initial mystery of Owen’s disappearance to explore deeper emotional and moral consequences through several key themes:

~Forgiveness and Redemption:

~The Cost of Second Chances

~Protection and "Chosen Family."

~Accountability and Hidden Truths

~Loyalty vs. survival

I thoroughly enjoyed the compelling adaptation of the first book in the series on Apple TV, and I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of Season 2 of "The Last Thing He Told Me," set to premiere on Apple TV+ on Friday, February 20, 2026. This new season is based on the sequel novel, which promises an intriguing twist as Owen unexpectedly reemerges, significantly impacting the lives of Hannah and Bailey as they navigate their new reality together.

I am looking forward to seeing how their journey unfolds on screen!

Recs...

For readers who enjoyed the suspense, family loyalty, and domestic drama of THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM, the following books are highly recommended based on similar themes and styles:

~The Sequel and The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

~The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

~The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave

~My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney

~It's Not Her by Mary Kubica

~Anatomy of an Alibi Ashley Elston

~The Woods by Harlan Coben

~Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks

My Rating: 5 Stars

Pub Date: Jan 6, 2026

Jan Newsletter

Praise

“Oh boy, this one will be big: Dave’s 2021 novel, The Last Thing He Told Me, was a blockbuster hit, adapted into an Apple+ TV series (the second season starts Feb. 20). The sequel is set five years later, with Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey, trying to move on after her husband Owen’s disappearance. Well, guess what. He’s back, and their lives are, again, in danger.”

—AARP

“Twists and turns will keep readers guessing throughout the novel at how it will all end. The characters’ love and concern for each other show through their thoughts and actions… This sequel is sure to be a hit.”

—Library Journal

“[A] heart-pounding sequel… The pacing is brisk from the very first page, with Dave nimbly juggling multiple perspectives and timelines en route to a finale that provides readers with satisfying answers to their questions.”

—Publishers Weekly

“[The First Time I Saw Him] dives deeper into Hannah’s character and the grit she needs to survive. Readers can use what they learned from the first book, a best-seller, to jump right in.”

—Booklist

“An essential sequel that ties up loose threads while providing a thrilling ride across continents.” —Kirkus

"Equally action-packed and deeply felt, this sequel is every bit as incredible as The Last Thing He Told Me. Clear your schedule because once you pick this book up, you won't be able to put it down. I loved everything about it."

—Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of She’s Not Sorry

About the Author

Laura Dave is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including The Last Thing He Told Me and Eight Hundred Grapes. Her novels have sold more than six million copies and have been translated into forty languages. The Last Thing He Told Me was the Goodreads Mystery & Thriller of the Year for 2021 and is now a series on Apple TV+, cocreated by Laura. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their son. WEBSITE