The First Time I saw Him

Laura Dave continues the story of Hannah Hall in this sequel. In the first book, Owen turns state evidence and has to leave his wife and daughter for their own safety from the organization that he turned against. As Dave unfolds the story, we learn more about the situation that landed Hannah, Bailey, and Owen into the existence of stasis. Dave utilizes flashbacks in order to weave her story of repentance and revenge. The plot is intriguing and compels the reader to continue reading.

I do appreciate that Dave flushes out the character of Nicholas and Owen more fully. It provides motivation for the events in the prior novel, as well as the way the story develops. Ultimately, at the center of the novel is the core belief that family is everything. And, that the love of a family can be a very strong, motivating factor for anyone regardless of their lot in life. In trying to keep the mysterious elements in check, I feel that Dave lost an opportunity to continue to develop Hannah. She seems very one-sided in this novel, and I would’ve liked to see her struggle with the concept of forgiveness, making her a much richer character.

One thing I felt that was troublesome was the writing style. It was a bit choppy and staccato, which at times can help add to the tension of the plot. However, I felt it left so much unsaid that could have been developed. The choppy structure also had a repetitive feel to it and took away from the fluency of the story that Dave was trying to tell.

Overall, I would say this is a good book for vacation and a way to escape from the stresses of life. A reader can pick it up and be right back in the world of Owen, Bailey, and Hannah. Dave does provide enough background to help readers if they have not read the first book. This book is intriguing and will keep the reading turning pages. I can see the author setting the stage to utilize this story in tandem with the TV production of the first novel.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster who provided this ebook advanced copy through NetGalley for an honest review. The book will be published on January 6, 2026.