“The kind of book I enjoy the most—sparkling characters, fast-moving plot and laugh-out-loud dialogue. A winner!” —New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips on If You Only KnewNew York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins welcomes you home in this witty, emotionally charged novel about the complications of life, love and familyOne step forward. Two steps back. The Tufts … complications of life, love and family
One step forward. Two steps back. The Tufts scholarship that put Nora Stuart on the path to becoming a Boston medical specialist was a step forward. Being hit by a car and then overhearing her boyfriend hit on another doctor when she thought she was dying? Two major steps back.
Injured in more ways than one, Nora feels her carefully built life cracking at the edges. There’s only one place to land: home. But the tiny Maine community she left fifteen years ago doesn’t necessarily want her. At every turn, someone holds the prodigal daughter of Scupper Island responsible for small-town drama and big-time disappointments.
With a tough islander mother who’s always been distant, a wild-child sister in jail and a withdrawn teenage niece as eager to ditch the island as Nora once was, Nora has her work cut out for her if she’s going to take what might be her last chance to mend the family. Balancing loss and opportunity, dark events from her past with hope for the future, Nora will discover that tackling old pain makes room for promise…and the chance to begin again.
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Really enjoyed this book. The characters were witty and whacky and a bit unpredictable. Great summer read. Highly entertaining!
Love her writing.
Kristan Higgins has a way of relating “any person’s” life and taking their challenges to help them grow and thrive. I loved Nora’s indomitable spirit, and related on so many levels to every step of her journey. Well done.
Nora Stuart has overcome a lot. After a combination of relentless bullying and being overlooked and ignored in high school (even by her sister, Lily), she earned a scholarship to Tufts on her way to becoming a gastroenterologist. She thought the worst was behind her as she found happiness with her medical practice and her boyfriend, but then boom it all changed in a second–literally–when she stepped off a curb and was hit by a car. So she does the only thing she can think of: go home. For the first time in fifteen years, Nora finds herself back in Maine on Scupper Island, living with her Mom and sharing a room with her teenage niece, Poe. The townspeople still think of her as “Sharon’s other daughter,” and being home doesn’t exactly bring back good memories. But Nora’s banged up (inside and out); her younger sister is in jail; and Poe clearly could use some stability. Maybe, just maybe, coming home will be a much-needed chance to start over.
This is the type of book where you probably know how things will turn out (disgraced woman returns to her former home, which just happens to be an island). Still, in a way, I think they are the hardest to write, because, for me, they require such well-written plot with an excellent cast to pull it off. To get past it all, you need a really strong protagonist and a truly “lovable” love interest. You get all that in spades here. I’d never read a Kristan Higgins novel before, but had heard such good things about this book (especially from my Goodreads friend, Melissa) that I couldn’t resist picking it up. I’m so glad I did. This novel was such a delight and such a good choice to read during my beach vacation with my daughters.
I really enjoyed Nora from the beginning: she felt real, and her love for her dog and her family was palatable. She made her job and her situation (which wasn’t always easy) a pleasure to read. The supporting cast was also wonderful. Nora’s mom is a total trip–I could just picture her reticent Maine self. Add in her niece, Poe, whom Higgins managed to keep from being a cliche, and another teenager, Audrey, who was a delight–I loved them. Even better, all the characters added to some hilarious moments, even among some of the serious parts of the book. There were some downright laugh out loud scenes in this book, particularly a dinner party on Nora’s boat–featuring some great moments with her fellow Scupper Island residents–and a ham dinner at her Mom’s. I couldn’t believe how into the story I was or how funny and real all these people felt. Nora’s love of Harry Potter was rather endearing as well.
The novel also dealt with its serious moments deftly as well. Nora has to overcome so much (almost an overload it felt), and the book handled the serious parts appropriately, with both gravitas and humor. She was a strong character, and I found myself very touched by some sweet pieces in the novel. There’s a lot more to this one than meets the eye with its sunny cover.
Overall, this was a lovely book–fun yet serious–with a great protagonist and a wonderful supporting cast. It was downright laugh out loud funny at parts and just a refreshing, enjoyable read. I’m kicking myself for not requesting Higgins’ latest ARC but will certainly be reading a lot more of her books in the future. 4+ stars.
What a beautiful book!!!! Kept me interested from beginning to end and wish it could have gone on and on. Kristin Higgins is such a talented author.
This is Emmaline, one of Levi’s Deputies, and Jack Holland’s story. Emmaline’s ex-fiance, Kevin, is getting married and she is invited to the wedding. Of course she needs a date and everyone makes sure the ever dependable, everyone’s date for the occasion, and devastatingly handsome Jake Holland is the one. This works just fine for Jack because he is tired of the hero worship he has been receiving since the “Midwinter Miracle,” and to top it off his ex-wife, Hadley, shows up.
Typical to the Blue Heron series, there is a draw between the two but they just can’t quite pull it together for one reason or another. Between Emmaline’s ongoing feeling of not being good enough for Jack, to Hadley’s theatrics, and Jack’s refusal to acknowledge his PTSD it is a lot of up and down. There are several chapters that thoroughly details their past relationships. This is why I choose to give it only a two star rating, it began to fill like filler pages and not needed
Love this writer. She just speaks my language. Wonderful book. Realistic. No blushing cheeks. She leaves most of the imagination to the reader!
I usually only have time to read at night, and I stayed up way too late each night reading this book.
Having worked in the mental health field, this is a refreshing story of the effects of mental illness and alternative life styles on family. Well written, empathetic, entertaining, great charcacters and great romance. Altogether delightful.
Started off slow but then was fantastic with inspiring characters.
Love all her books, she’s one of my very favorites!
Higgins never disappoints. She always gives us a truly likable heroine with flaws like the rest of us. We “get” Nora and we love her. With dialogue always fresh, funny, and snappy, and a perfectly imperfect love interest, what’s not to love? Sit back with a cool drink, a bunch of chocolate, and reward yourself. You deserve it!
Didn’t want this book to end!
Wow, hits close to home
I would love to be friends with Kristan’s Higgins characters! They are all so amazing. Because she is such a wonderful writer.
Diverse characters that work well together. Great description of places.
Kristin Higgins is my favorite author – she always comes through!
LOVED this book! Could not put it down! Laughed out loud so many times! Kristan Higgins never disappoints! Now That Mention It is by far her best novel…. and I’ve read them all! Her quirky characters are some of my favorites, perfectly flawed, relatable, and so very love-able… From the first chapter she pulls you in with every emotion and connects you to her characters as if you were already close friends, easily feeling the laughter, sadness, and love right along with them Now That You Mention It is the entertaining and compelling story of Nora’s journey of finding her heart and peace of mind back home and the strength she discovers in herself and those she chooses to bring back into her life. This book should be in every beach bag this summer!
Kristan Higgins is a long-time favorite, but I’m really digging her foray into women’s fiction. If you haven’t read her first two, If You Only Knew and On Second Thought, you’re missing out! See my full #2MinBookReview at: http://www.carlalaureano.com/2minbookreview-now-that-you-mention-it/
Wonderful story with interesting characters with enough twists and turns to keep it interesting. Nora heads back home to Maine and in doing so rediscovers her true self. I love Higgans humor — poor Tweety! This book made me laugh outloud at times and also shed some tears.