The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave @lauradaveauthor @lobecca @tessa_albertson @colindonnell #CJWilson @simon.audio @simonaudio.bsky.social #HannahHall #TheFirstTimeISawHim

the setup…
It’s been five years since Hannah Hall’s life was turned upside down and her husband Owen Michaels disappeared, leaving her with stepdaughter Bailey. They’d discovered he’d runaway from his old identity to escape a crime family set on vengeance. But she sees him briefly at an exhibit and immediately knows things have changed. She reaches out to Bailey to set in motion their escape plan, her primary focus to protect her daughter and keep her safe…and maybe lead them back to Owen.

the heart of the story…
The story picks up almost at the exact moment where the last book ended. Until that pivotal moment, Hannah and Bailey were living normal lives, under the protection agreement made by her maternal grandfather, Nicholas. I was struck by the close bond between Hannah and Bailey, who now trusts her implicitly. I wasn’t expecting it to have even half the excitement and twisty moments as the first but it was filled with intrigue, cat-and-mouse play, and a couple of clever twists.

the narration…
It’s a full cast featuring Rebecca Lowman (Hannah), Tessa Albertson (Bailey), Colin Donnell (Owen) & CJ Wilson (Nicholas). All captured their characters wonderfully with Lowman skillfully handling most of the storytelling.

the bottom line…
This was the story I didn’t know I wanted, nor did I expect it after having already created my own imaginary ending. When I heard about the renewal for a second season of the TV series, I’d hoped for this book. It did not disappoint in the least. And, it answered a ton of questions. Loved it.

Book Info

• Release Date: January 6, 2026
• Series: Hannah Hall #2
• Narrators: Rebecca Lowman, Tessa Albertson, Colin Donnell & CJ Wilson
• Audio Length: 7 hours, 16 minutes
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Listen to a Sample!

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(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio and Libro.fm for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)