THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM

Laura Dave is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including The Last Thing He Told Me. Her novels have sold more than five million copies and have been translated into thirty-eight 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 resides in Santa Monica, California.

“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 Timesbestselling author of She’s Not Sorry

RGC Discussion Questions for The First Time I Saw Him

1. At the start of the book is a poem from Harriet Selina: 

Maybe, one day,
we’ll bump into each other,
in a checkout line or a quiet car lot,
and we’ll smile like we didn’t
shatter each other once-
like we didn’t make an unholy
mess of love. 

How do you think this quote sets the tone for the story? Do you feel it’s foreshadowing? In what ways does it capture the sadness or uncertainty that Hannah consistently feels?

2. How does the way the story is told shape how we understand what’s happening? Does it make you question the reliability of the narrative or the way we interpret events as readers?

3. In The Last Thing He Told Me, Bailey originally treats Hannah as an antagonist. What does Bailey’s shift from seeing Hannah as an outsider to accepting her as family reveal about her trust in Owen and about Hannah herself?

4. Bailey has become the first person Hannah thinks of on the boat at the end of the book, the first person she wants to see and find. Over even Owen. What does that change in their bond show about the nature of family and trust? How did Owen’s last words to Hannah prepare her for being Bailey’s mother?

5. It’s fascinating how Hannah and Owen rarely share scenes together in this book, even though their presence is central to the story. How did this absence impact how you viewed them – both as individuals and as a couple? Did you feel more or less connected to them because of this?

6. There are several failed relationships or relationships that end in tragedy throughout this book (Nicholas’ marriage, Frank’s marriage, Quinn and her husband, Andrea and Charlie, and more). How do these broken relationships shape the story? How do they act as a reflection on the complexities of love and connection? Do these broken relationships make the current relationships feel more fragile or more resilient?

7. In the first book, there’s a line about how good and evil are closer than we think, and that both start from a place of wanting something to be different. How do you see this theme playing out in The First Time I Saw Him, particularly in the characters of Frank and Nicholas? 

8. Marriage is such a transformative force in this book, especially in how it can shift a characters’ world. How do the marriages change the characters’ identities, power, and sense of safety? How does Owen experience both a loss of control and gain strength in his marriages?

9. Several characters get a second chance at life in this story, whether it’s rebuilding relationships or accepting pasts, no matter the tragedy. How does the idea of starting over and rebuilding become a central theme for the book? What do second chances look like for the characters, and does it truly feel like they receive fresh starts?

10. This book is packed with tension and foreshadowing. Where did you catch yourself imagining theories or second-guessing the plot based on hints that didn’t quite make sense until later?

11. This book is relentless in its pacing and tension There is always something happening, and it feels like there’s no downtime for the characters. How does the constant pressure on the characters impact how you think about the story? Does it make you reflect on things after finishing the book that you didn’t have time to reflect on as you were reading?

12. Owen plays a bigger role in this book, and we get to understand more about the weight he carries, particularly as he tries to protect both Hannah and Bailey. How do you think Owen can ever find happiness or a sense of safety in his world? Do you think he’s able to reconcile with his past and feel peace in the present, or do you think the past and the potential for danger always haunt him?

13. What do you still want to know about the characters or their futures? Are there any parts of the story you wish had been explored more? Would you be open to a third book, or do you feel the story wrapped up as it should?