In The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave tells us what is happening today with various chapters into the past, filling the reader in on the back story. The main story takes place in just a few hectic days with edge of your seat moments. A warning needs to come with this story, you WILL stay up to finish it, it's that good! I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an early copy to review.

This was probably closer to a 3.5 but I am going to say a 4 due to not being able to put it down. I was completely absorbed by the story from the get-go. Hannah has married Owen, a widower with 16 year old daughter Bailey. Anyone that has lived through the teen years as a parent knows that Bailey is right-on as to how she is portrayed. She can't stand Hannah and she lets the world know it. Owen disappears and leaves Hannah a note - Protect Her. And we're off. I was flipping the pages until the late hours of the night. I found the last 15-20% of the book a tiny bit weaker than the rest, but I still liked it a lot. Great family suspense type book. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy. The Last Thing He told Me will be available on 5/4/21.

I have loved all the books Laura has written and this was no exception. Full of twists and secrets, the ending was not one I suspected. Could not put this book down!

When Hannah meets Owen and falls in love, she uproots her life in NY and moves to CA to be with him. Her biggest problem is that his 16 year old daughter isn't accepting her as a new step-mom but she's sure in time she'll get past this. Then Owen disappears and Hannah is left trying to put the pieces of this mystery and her life back together. I loved this book; it was one of those that I couldn't wait to get home and finish when I had to put it down for work.

This book is gripping, big-hearted and lots of twists, The Last Thing He Told Me will grab you from the very first page and never let you go. Highly recommend.

The reader jumps right into this mystery, Hannah’s husband has disappeared. Laura Dave then gives the back story, the known facts:….how Hannah met Owen, their recent happy marriage, life on a Sausalito houseboat, Owen’s teenaged daughter Bailey, Hannah’s vocation as a high-end woodcrafter, Owen’s job for a new startup aiming to alter communications.

When Owen disappears, Hannah receives just one note from him: protect her (Bailey). Hannah and Bailey are unsure what/who could have prompted Owen’s disappearance. When his workplace is being investigated, Hannah is unsure if Owen’s involvement is suspect. What if there is something else in play, from the past?

Laura Dave drives a mystery that takes unexpected turns as Hannah and Bailey forge ahead to discover a truth that could be more devastating than they anticipated. This is a novel of family bonds and crime which consistently forces the reader to be like the protagonists….thinking outside the box and doing it quickly. Recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this book to review.

I haven’t read a mystery/domestic drama in awhile that hooked me from the start like this one did. I’ve enjoyed Laura Dave’s writing in Eight Hundred Grapes and Hello,Sunshine, and was excited to get my hands on this ARC to see how she would do with a suspense novel. I couldn’t put it down! No blood, no gore, just a heart palpitating page turner that examines how far you would go to protect the people you love.

Hannah has been living in California for a couple years with her new husband Owen and his 16 year old daughter Bailey. Life is going well, until the morning a U.S. Marshall and FBI Agents show up at her doorstep, looking to track down her husband who has disappeared after his boss was arrested. Hannah and Bailey soon set out to uncover the truth, and in doing so, begin to figure out there’s more to Owen’s past than either of them ever knew. But finding out the truth comes at a price and they must make a decision that will change their lives forever.

When you ask me for a beach read this summer, this is what I’ll be recommending. I don’t do typical beach/romance reads during vacation, so if you are like me and just want a good book that will suck you in, it comes out May 4 and will be a great Spring/Summer escape.

I’m grateful to NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Gripping tale of almost-newlywed whose husband disappears when his company is investigated for fraud. The tale rises above similar stories with the addition of a teen stepdaughter whose need for support becomes the protagonist’s overriding obsession. And it’s the only instruction her husband left her, which she takes to heart. Unraveling layers of mystery becomes both of their tasks as they seek to bolster their relationship, one clue at a time. This was a difficult book to put down and I read it in one afternoon. It’s a very good mystery with a decent ending. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Wow, gripped me from the first page and I couldn't put it down. Lots of twists and turns that kept me turning the page all night.
Hannah and Owen have been married a few years, living on a house boat in Sausalito with Owen's teenage daughter, Bailey. Bailey and Hannah have a rather rocky relationship, and Hannah is always trying to bring them together.
One day all their lives change forever. The company Owen works for is raided, the higher ups are being sent to prison, and Owen has disappeared. He leaves a cryptic note to Hannah and a bag of cash for Bailey, and nothing else. Desperate for answers, Hannah starts asking questions and digging into Owen;s past. What she finds will change both her life and Hannah's forever.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for his honest review.

At the start of this novel, main character Hannah has been married to Owen, and stepmom to his teenage daughter Bailey, for less than two years, when he goes missing as his boss is arrested for securities fraud. Hannah and Bailey, who have never gotten along well, are left to figure out not just where he is, but what other secrets he might have been keeping from them. I wouldn’t call this a thriller though - maybe domestic suspense - as the book is as much about the affects on Hannah and Bailey and their relationship as it is about the mystery.

I’ve been a longtime fan of Laura Dave, ever since her first book London Is the Best City in America made it onto my top 10 of the year back in 2008. So I was excited to get an advanced copy of this one, out 5/4/21, and it didn’t disappoint. I enjoyed her first foray into mystery/suspense, but was glad to see she brought her usual deft touch for bringing characters to life from her contemporary women’s fiction, and she managed to pluck my heartstrings with the ending too.

The Last Thing He Told Me quickly draws you into the drama when Hannah's life falls apart at both her husband's disappearance and a note that says "protect her." Her refers to Hannah's reluctant step-daughter, Bailey. Before Hannah can even grasp what's happening, the FBI and Federal Marshalls appear at her door asking questions about her missing husband and the company he works for. On top of that, it is becoming apparent that Owen, Hannah's husband, is not who or what he seems. You will find yourself glued to the pages as Hannah takes matters into her own hands. She doesn't need to be rescued, she will do the rescuing as any cost. The question is, who will she rescue.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mystery/General FIction

I was utterly transfixed by this book and absolutely could not put it down. I've read a lot of great books so far in 2021 and this is going to be right up there as one of the best books of the year! Read it!

Hannah's doorbell rings and a schoolgirl stands there with a note. The girl says the note is from Hannah's husband, Owen. He ran by the girl at the school and offered her $20 to deliver it. Hannah knows that her world is about to get turned upside down and so waits a few moments to appreciate her life as it is. When she does read the note it only says <i>Protect her</i>.

He can only mean Bailey, Owen's daughter, but how can you protect a 16 year old girl that still hasn't really adjusted to Hannah as her stepmother? And who or what exactly is she protecting Bailey from? More importantly where is Owen and when is he coming back? He won't answer his phone and as time passes a major scandal at his workplace hits the news. Hannah knows he could never be involved, but why would he run? The only answers will have to come from Owen himself, but how can she find him? She and Bailey search their memories for possible clues and find out that Owen's past is nothing like they thought. It also makes them question what kind of future they could all have together.

This novel grabbed a hold of my emotions and didn't let go. I was completely captivated from beginning to end. Such a well written novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book.

Check out my 1 minute spoiler free video review here: https://youtu.be/d9P7Ky3XDIE

The book features a newly married Hannah who discovers that her husband, Owen Michaels, has disappeared. He leaves her a note, “Protect her.” What could it mean? One thing. His daughter, Bailey. Bailey, the 16 year old, who is high on attitude and likes her stepmother as much as the typical 16 year old. What happened to Owen? How will things turn out for Bailey and Hannah?

Clear your schedule because you will need to read this book non-stop! It wasn’t boring at all – this book was definitely thrilling! The book would focus on the present and then would cut to a flashback where Hannah is trying to comb through her memories looking for clues. This give the book such a realistic feel as when something goes wrong you try to think back on could you see this coming, what did you miss? The particular manner in which this book was written, it always felt as if you were going to make a big discovery eminently and would learn a little more, a little more along the way. The ending was also unexpected!

It has been a long time since I read a thriller this good! Enjoy!

This was pretty good! I enjoyed the plot about finding Owen. I thought the stepmom aspect with Bailey was interesting and enjoyed seeing them for a relationship. I did think that the immediate guess to go to Austin based on Baileys very vague memories from when she was 5 was really far fetched. I mean, who can actually remember a wedding from when they were 5. Overall, a solid and quick read the I would recommend.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for a copy of this!!! I couldn’t put it down. This book reach through the pages and would not let me go! I absolutely loved every minute of it!!!

Hannah and Owen have only been
married for a couple of years when suddenly Owen disappears leaving only a note saying, “Protect her.” Hannah knows that this refers to Owen’s teenage daughter named Bailey. Bailey and Hannah do not have a good relationship so this comes with challenges. Hannah’s mom walked out when she was a young child and Bailey’s mom passed away in
A car accident. Bailey is still suffering from the loss of her mother and has not accepted Hannah into the family
yet. Hannah has not heard from Owen after attempting to contact him several
times so the search continues with others getting involved. All throughout the search Hannah learns new things about her husband’s true identity. Does she trust what people are telling her about her husband or continue to love the Owen that she knows deep down inside? As the journey continues, Hannah and Bailey learn more about Owen’s past and what the future may look like for both of them. I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read that kept me engaged and curious the entire time. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book.

"Protect her."
Those are the only instructions Hannah receives from her husband, Owen, when he disappears and leaves her and his 16-year-old daughter without a trace. What follows is a suspenseful mystery that will keep you turning pages.
I enjoyed so much about this book. The characters, plot twists, setting. Laura David sent me on a roller coaster trying to figure out what was actually happening in this book.
I will admit that it lost a bit of momentum in the last 15% of the book, but by that point I was so invested in the story I had to continue on to find the conclusion. Overall, a very enjoyable read.

4.5 stars!!!

What an intriguing & suspenseful drama that explores the relationship of Hannah, Owen & Bailey and the lengths each one is willing to go to for family values. Bravo Laura Dave for engaging the reader right from the start. Beginning with the cryptic message from Owen to his wife Hannah to “protect her” is the first of the many unexpected twists & turns along the way. What does Owen’s message really mean? How can Hannah protect his daughter? How well does Hannah really know Owen? Can she & Bailey ever bond? The answers are completely unpredictable! I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.

This was my first novel by this author but it will definitely not be my last. I highly recommend this book to those that enjoy suspenseful dramas.

Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Dave and Simon & Schuster for the ARC. This is my honest review & is strictly voluntary.
#NetGalley #TheLastThingHeToldMe

Release date is May 4!!!

This is a solid book that I'll recommend to friends and my reading community. Especially because it's being adapted for a television series produced by Reese Witherspoon's company and starring Julia Roberts, I have no doubt this will be a popular selection this summer.

I read it quickly as I was eager to learn what Owen had done to force him to vanish leaving only a bag of cash for his daughter and two words for his wife—"Protect her". I struggled to care for Bailey as much as her stepmother—Hannah, the narrator—cared for her, but Hannah was just an exceptionally understanding woman in part because of her own childhood. I was prepared to dislike the ending but ultimately made peace with it thanks to the final few pages. Got a little emotional, even.

I appreciate NetGalley and Serpant's Tail/Viper/Profile Books for the ARC of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

So, wow. That was probably the most morally ambiguous book I've read in a good long while! To be fair, I don't read a lot of thrillers (so few that I don't even have it as a category on my personal book trackers!) so this could be a standby of the genre that I'm going to have to adjust to.

I think the plot was effective and plausible, and as much of the characters as we get to know I enjoyed/felt invested in. The writing itself was good, although it felt quite choppy. (I'm not sure if there was more than 5 sentences with a comma in them.) It seemed like a lot of very short thoughts probably meant to propel the reader through the book, which to be fair was very effective as I finished it in less than a day.

I'm not sure I agree with much of the character's decisions in this story, but it definitely gives you a lot to think about in terms of "What would I do if I was put in this situation?"

I quite literally have nothing to compare this to, so I'm not sure how it stacks up against others if you're big into the thriller genre. But I would recommend it to someone if they asked me what I thought, so take that how you will!