Review: Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins

Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Publication date: December 26th 2017
Jasprit's rating: 4 Stars  Rachel's rating: 4.5 Stars
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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With a tough islander mother who's always been distant and a wild-child sister in jail, unable to raise her daughter--a withdrawn teen as eager to ditch the island as Nora once was--Nora has her work cut out for her if she's going to take what might be her last chance to mend the family.

But as some relationships crumble around her, others unexpectedly strengthen. Balancing loss and opportunity, a dark event 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.

Jasprit's Thoughts:
Yeah so I tried writing a mini review, but that didn't happen, as I had far too much to say about this beautiful book! Sorry in advance!

I’ve really been struggling lately with the beginning of books, I don’t know if it’s just that they’re unable to keep my attention, or they’re just lacking that big event to reel me in from the beginning. Thank goodness this was not the case with Now That You Mention It, it was refreshingly unique as I found myself flying through the pages from the very beginning, Higgins was really able to capture my attention with Nora’s life and weave such a beautiful story. With the turn of events, I was totally for Nora going back home and spending time with her family, however, as we don’t really know Nora’s back story or of why she left Scupper Island in the first place, I was really overwhelmed with the turn of events. I wanted Nora to rush back to Boston and be with Bobby, I know he was a complete and utter douche face, but you know with certain characters you want to give them a second chance and honestly with the way things were going I honestly thought Bobby was redeeming himself. And with the stuff Nora had to deal with back home, with a mother who wouldn’t really open up, and a niece who didn’t want to know her, wasn’t Nora just better off in Boston?

The revelations came kept coming in Now That You Mention It and I was so glad that I was reading this book with Rachel as I constantly wanted to discuss what the hell was going on! The revelations bought on so many different feelings; my heart just broke with had happened, but I appreciated the way Higgins gave the story to us, as I so wasn’t expecting it, so I was completely left reeling. Nora’s story was captured so well in this book, I felt as if I’d really got to know her as a character and I loved how strong she was and just how far she came over the course of the story. Nora never had an easy time, she had experienced a tough life, been pushed to her limits, but I admired her ability not to give up, and the way things ended up in the end. I liked how friends cropped up when she was least expecting them, and she was willing to try and try again until she made some breakthroughs with people she cared about. Although overall, I really enjoyed this book, as all I wanted to do was devour all the beautiful pages, I felt as towards the end of the book, it was a little anti-climactic, the big reveal, wasn’t that big to me, may be because I was left in shock whilst experiencing Nora’s journey. But this aside, Now That You Mention It was truly a wonderful read, I loved all the shocks and surprises along the way, how Higgins was able to take me through feelings of anger, hurt and love in one incredible journey. Also, just a heads up, don’t assume that you know anyone, I thought I was a good judge of character, but Higgins completely had me fooled! Now That You Mention It was my first book by Higgins, but it certainly won’t be my last!

Rachel's Thoughts:
I loved Nora! I was completely sucked into her story; unraveling the past, and hoping for a satisfying future for her! I felt bad for all that she went through.  God, high school can be so hard! The kids were awful to her, yet Nora rose above it and became an accomplished woman.  Leaving Scupper Island, where she grew to become a doctor in Boston, she hasn’t returned for fifteen years, and who could blame her?  After an accident leaves Nora banged up and without a boyfriend (good riddance, Bobby!) she returns home determined to get closer to her mother and her fifteen-year-old niece, Poe.

There was a lot going on, but it wasn’t confusing, and I couldn’t put the story down.  At first Nora seems like a woman full of confidence, just dating a complete douchbag.  I couldn’t stand Bobby! What kind of boyfriend starts picking up on another woman while you lay unconscious in a hospital bed? (Not a spoiler, it’s in the book description) I do have to say there was a moment where I thought he might change, but, yeah, no. I loved Sully, Nora’s high school-mate now all grown-up with a daughter of his own. Nora and Sully had a bit of a rough start, but I completely swooned over this man!

When she returns home, we discover Nora wasn’t always the strong confident woman portrayed at first.  She’s dealing with so much!  Nora’s relationship with her mother and sister, Lily, are strained and we start to find out why.  I was riveted!  Even though Lily’s not present really, except for flashbacks, I honestly couldn’t stand her. Yes, she was in pain and had issues, but so did Nora! Yet, Nora was nothing but loving towards her, hopeful they would draw closer and lend support to each other.  I like that when Nora realized it was time to accept there’s no changing some people, she got support and love from others to make up for it. 

Nora’s journey sorting out the past, mending fences, and making peace with her life was at times heartbreaking, but also heartwarming, and I loved every minute!  Out of the three Kristan Higgins novels I’ve read, Now That You Mention It is my favorite to date.