2 stars
I heard so much good hype about this book. But, it just wasn't for me. I am sure many will like it.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me an arc of this book in exchange for a review.

When I first saw "The Last Thing He Told Me," I was intrigued, to say the least. I hadn't read a mystery book in a while, so I was excited when I got approved for an arc for this book!

After doing some research, I saw that the author of this book mainly writes contemporary books; and I became worried. I haven't had much luck with contemporary writers who choose to write a mystery book. An example would be Stephanie Perkins with her book "There's Someone Inside Your House," which wasn't that good of a book. But Laura Dave wrote a great mystery book despite being a contemporary author. "The Last Thing He Told Me" is a great mystery book that I'll probably reread in the future.

After receiving a note from her husband stating nothing but the words Protect her, Hannah realizes her husband Owen has disappeared and that she needs to take care of his daughter Bailey. Hannah soon realized that her husband isn't the same person she thought he was. While taking care of her stepdaughter Bailey, both Hannah and Bailey try to figure out why Owen left, and if they can get him back.

The plot was very enjoyable, and fun to read. I (almost) always enjoy reading mysteries, and this book was no exception. There were a few things about the plot that confused me though, and some questions weren't entirely answered.

While the pacing did drag at times, it still moved in a way that keeps you intrigued throughout the book. Everything in the book was pieced together so well and flowed quite nicely.

The characters were probably the best part of the book. They felt so real and had faults of their own. I loved how Bailey slowly warmed up to Hannah and soon realized that she can trust Hannah.

The writing was enjoyable but had a few flaws. There were a few typos and overuse of dashes at the beginning of some chapters. Other than that, the writing was very enjoyable.

The ending wasn't the best; I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. Although it did offer a bit of closure, I felt like it could have been done differently.

Overall, "The Last Thing He Told Me" was a great mystery book. It had great characters, a great plot, and decent pacing. Although there were a few questions left unanswered, this was a great book, to say the least, and I wouldn't be surprised if I were to reread this again.

Once again, thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me an arc of this book in exchange for a review!

Goodreads review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3884478015

A fast paced narrative that kept me guessing. Well executed plot. Worth the time! From Bailey to Owen to Hannah the characters were sketched to perfection. The narrative alternates between the past and the present. This doesn't get confusing. Infact as a reader it intrigues you and keeps you going to read more.

What may be a seemingly simple plot of the husband going missing ends up into a mystery and suspense book.

Laura Dave is such a phenomenal writer, and The Last Thing He Told Me is no exception to that. I love that her books are both plot and character-driven, and her writing is the kind that compels you to read faster because you can't wait to find out what's going to happen next but also slow down so that you can savor the story longer. I loved the development of Hannah and Bailey's relationship juxtaposed with the mystery of Owen's disappearance...it all just works so well. I'll definitely be recommending this one a lot this summer.

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance reader's copy.

Laura Dave is one of my favorite authors. While she usually writes chick-lit romance, I was pleasantly surprised to see her trying out the suspense category. Part of this book takes place in Sausalito (which I googled and now want to visit!) and the other part takes place in Austin, Texas, which I visited prior to the pandemic. I enjoyed both of the main characters - Hannah and her stepdaughter, Bailey, - and how their relationship progressed throughout the story. This is a perfect read for a beach weekend!

I adored Laura Dave’s romance books as great comfort reads. Her latest is not cozy or comforting, but rather a lightening paced thrill ride. And, I am completely here for it.

What a wild story that I was so happy to devour. I was rooting for all the characters, and while I still am it was a perfect ending. This book couldn’t have been more perfect or told more eloquently. 4.5 stars

This was a great book. Once I started reading it, I had a difficult time putting it down. There was the perfect amount of anxiety inducing tension. There were enough but not too many twists and turns. I didn’t figure out the ending, which was great because more of the time, I do. This is a terrific read. Don’t pass this book by! Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this advanced reader copy. The opinions are my own.

Loved this one! Could not stop reading and stayed up late to finish it. A really good story about a husband that goes missing. I really enjoyed all the researching and clues as they try to find him. This will definitely make a good movie. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC

Owen is gone. He left his daughter and his wife a note, a bag of cash, and precious little in the way of explanation. As the women in his life try to make sense of their sudden, baffling loss, they follow clues from their memories to try and find out where Owen has gone, and possibly who he really is, all while navigating their own fraught step-relationship. Hannah, his wife, must decide what she is willing to do, and what she is willing to sacrifice in order to secure the well-being of her teenage stepdaughter. For fans of B.A. Paris and Julie Clark.

Wow. I couldn't put this one down. I was super impressed with The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave's latest novel, a mystery thriller that's very different from her previous two contemporary romances---that I also loved.

The story opens in Sausalito, California, the picturesque town on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge, but much of the novel is spent on the streets of Austin, Texas. I've been to Sausalito and I've been to Austin several times, and I don't know if that's what made this mystery even more intriguing for me, but it was fun recognizing the places and experiences the author described.

From the first page, I liked Hannah, our straight-forward and sharp protagonist. Life has just thrown her the ultimate curve ball, but she trusts her instincts, putting her stepdaughter Bailey first. The flashbacks were well-placed and quick, rounding out her character and adding to the present-day tension. While I didn't know where the plot would take me, I knew I could count on Hannah, which only made the story better, allowing me to settle back and enjoy the ride.

I also didn't expect how emotionally invested I would be in the relationship between Hannah and Bailey. Who needs romance?? This was the relationship that had me misty-eyed, reading late into the night. Every teenager needs a Hannah in their life.

Mysteries and Thrillers are not my typical genre of choice. I'm usually underwhelmed by the twist, the denouement failing to compare to the rest of the book. But I was genuinely surprised by where this mystery led me. And while there were a few little things that raised my eyebrow, the author sold me on the delivery.

The Last Thing He Told Me was a welcome surprise, and will probably end up being in the top of my favorite reads for 2021. This one will make a great beach read or book club choice, as well. And it places Laura Dave easily among my auto-read authors.

As a reader of a few of Laura Dave’s previous books, I wasn’t sure about how she would fare in the mystery genre, as it felt like a big departure from Eight Hundred Grapes and Hello, Sunshine. I was pleasantly surprised by The Last Thing He Told Me.

Newly married Hannah Hall is surprised one afternoon by a knock on her door. A preteen girl is delivering a note from her husband, Owen. It contains only two words, but those words are powerful, and set the tone for the rest of the story.

Owen’s company is being investigated by the SEC and he has disappeared. Hannah is left in charge of her sixteen-year-old stepdaughter, Bailey, who has made it clear she is not Hannah’s biggest fan. In an attempt to understand her husband’s cryptic message, Hannah and Bailey must work together to solve the riddle of what, exactly, is going on and when it all began.

I enjoyed the pace of the story, as it moved back and forth in time between the past and present. The puzzle of who can be trusted, who Owen truly was, and why he disappeared from their lives is told with just the right amount of suspense and disbelief to keep readers engaged in the tale Dave is weaving.

Wow! This story was a ride. It had me anxious, full of suspense and heartbroken at times. When I first started it I never imagined the depths it would go and the ending had me wondering what I would do if in the same position as Hannah. An interesting plot with well developed characters. I know this is a small detail but I love that the author named each chapter rather than just numbering them. 10/10 recommend!

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave is a chilling mystery with a twisted ending that you'll never see coming. Hannah has finally found the love of her life and is living a life she never dreamed she'd have, except for an icy relationship with her teenaged stepdaughter Bailey. When her new husband Owen sends her a text saying, "Protect her" and disappears, she is frantic. She has no idea what he means or why she would have to protect Bailey.

When Owen's boss is arrested by the FBI and she is contacted by US Marshals looking into Owen's disappearance, she begins to realize that maybe her husband isn't who he said he was. She starts her own investigation into Owen and with Bailey's help they find out who he is, which puts them in further danger. But is Owen really the dangerous one?

A fascinating story that will keep you guessing until the end...you really don't know who to root for! Thank you to the author, Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! It kept me flipping the pages and on the edge of my seat. While I wouldn’t say it was necessarily a thriller, it was more of a mystery and suspenseful. However, the end of the book fell flat for me. I felt that it was very anti-climatic and was expecting more to come out of the mystery of what happened to Owen. I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone, but maybe to a more seasoned reader.

View the link for Instagram review:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CM18GqULUaB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Hannah Hall is absentminded and is teased by her husband for losing almost everything. She just cannot remember where she puts simple things: her cell phone even the ticket from the parking garage which costed her $100 fine. Now she has also lost her husband!

The last thing Owen Michaels said in a note to his wife before he disappeared was “Protect her”.
Hannah receives this note from a young girl she didn’t know as she was given $20 by Owen to deliver the note.

Hannah is an artist who was raised by her grandfather. (Note: I love her relationship with her grandfather. She really never missed her parents as her grandfather was so good and so loved her. He was a craftsman who did beautiful woodwork~ which he taught her and she continued to do wood design as a career.)
She marries Owen who is a widower, works in a tech company and has a 16year old daughter Bailey.

After Hannah reads the note, she immediately call Owen’s cell. No answer ~ she continues to call; she cannot imagine why he disappeared.
Own typically drives Bailey to and from school functions as she doesn’t yet have her driver’s license.
Hannah tells Bailey she will pick her up. Hannah knows that Bailey hates for her to be late so she arrives early and is listening to the news on her radio’s radio. She hears that Owen’s boss has been involved in a tech scheme and has arrested by the FBI.
Hannah fears Owen may have been involved ~ is that why he disappeared?

Hannah and Bailey set out to find the truth. They find out that he is not who he says he is … but who is he?
They become amazing investigators and find out the truth.

This story seemed like it was going to be an okay ~ predictable story … as the plot is so simple. Wrong! It was so much better than what I expected. Plus author Laura Dove’s writing is great it kept me interested and turning pages. 🌟🌟🌟🌟Stars!
Looking forward to the next Laura Dove story!!

Want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for professional review purposes only.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 4, 2021

The is a terrific suspense thriller. I was so involved with the characters and story that I finished the book in two sittings. It is a book that puts to the test just how far one is willing to go for those he/she loves. It tests the bonds between father and daughter and husband and wife. I couldn't believe the sacrifices made in the name of love.

Hannah and Owen have only been married two years and things are tense as Hannah tries to squeeze into a family that, since the death of his first wife many years ago, has just been Owen and his now 16-year old daughter, Bailey. There's nothing like a broody 16-year old to make things difficult. Things go even more awry when Owen suddenly disappears leaving Hannah only a cryptic note to protect Bailey. Then news hits that Owen's boss has been arrested on fraud charges and further arrests of high ranking officers, possibly including Owen, are imminent. Is that why Owen left? So he wouldn't be arrested? Hannah thinks there's more to his disappearance than that and she and Bailey form an uneasy alliance to find out why Owen has vanished. With the FBI and US Marshall Service after Owen, Hannah and Bailey are racing to find him first. What they uncover is not at all what they expected. Owen has secrets far more threatening than anything related to his work. They find that they don't really know the Owen he professed to be.

This is a powerful book about family dynamics and love that made me think in terms of my own family and what I would give up for them. I don't know if I could be as strong as Owen. True to its genre, the book has twists that while not totally unpredictable, are surprising. My only complaint was the sudden bonding between Bailey and Hannah. I just don't think it would happen that easily. This book is a solid 4.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book hooked me from the start. I loved the twists and turns. I thought the characters were well developed, especially Hannah - the main character. The author doesn’t just focus on Hannah’s relationship with her husband, Owen, but also her step-daughter, Bailey.

I would classify this book as suspenseful, more specifically a domestic suspense. Owen goes missing early on and Hannah is left to figure out what happened and next steps.

A special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Simon and and Schuster, for an early e-arc copy. The publication date is May 4,2021.

This is the first true page-turner I’ve read in a while. I was hooked from the first page, and not just because I’m from the town next to where the book takes place. Somehow, it manages to be a thriller with true narratives about family, love, identity, and the journey of life. Ultimately, it’s a tale about doing whatever you can to keep those you love safe. It read as fast as a beach read, with the quality of writing of books nominated for awards.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher, via #NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I loved most of this book, it grabbed from the start, and kept me caring about the characters. It was both a mystery and a love story, between husband and wife, between fathers and daughters. It contained lots of little important truths and lots of questions to ponder about how much we really know each other and what matters.