By Kristan Higgins

“The dynamic didn’t change when we became adults. Kate lived in Brooklyn. She was cool, and I was not. She was thin and elegant, and I was round and cute. She was a successful photographer (and a great one, really, her pictures were stunning); I was excellent at unjamming the printer. “

On Second Thought has all of the Kristan Higgins hallmarks I have come to expect and love: Situational humor, witty dialogue, poignant moments, lovable heroines, intriguing heroes, well-rounded secondary characters to love and hate, and a dog. I also am a fan of her late divergence into women

s fiction and away from traditional romance for romance’s sake. However, here are some reasons I didn’t love it as much as some of her previous novels: **spoilers**

1) Although Kate did realize that Nathan really did love her, (after all, if he only married her to have the children his ex-wife denied him, why did he pick someone who was 39 years old?), I wish this had been signed sealed and delivered in Nathan’s own words (a lost email found, for example). Maybe a friend he confided in could have come to light. It was very disappointing that he wasn’t the totally devoted husband Kate thought he was. That he really was too good to be true. I wish he had been a little redeemed at the end. But I guess the way Kristan left it, was more true to life.
2) I wish the hysteric ex-wife had gotten her comeuppance and been rejected by the family.
3) I was sad that she was never fully reconciled to Nathan’s family after they found out she was pregnant by another man. That they never knew the truth about where Kate was coming from.
4) I didn’t like the way she was so sexually attracted to Daniel even when she was in full mourning and shock from Nathan’s death. Also not a fan of the male love interest being younger than the woman. Sorry, that’s just me.
5) Daniel was a great guy, but I just didn’t buy the relationship. It was not very interesting. He was too good to be true. (like Nathan!) **end spoilers**

I see all of my quibbles are with Kate’s story. I did love Ainsley’s romance. Very reminiscent of one of my favorites: Callie and Ian from All I Ever Wanted. Ainsley is a typical Kristan heroine: overly people-pleasing as compensation for something. But with Ainsley, the basis for her overly nice and generous nature has a firm basis in her childhood. One of the best aspects of Kristan’s books is the full development of most, if not all of her secondary characters. In this one, my favorite is her mother-in-law. We think she is one kind of person, but she is so much deeper than we see at first.
I really loved this book. It’s just not a 5-star for me. Any other author, it would have been a 5-star book. I just hold Kristan Higgins to a higher standard. It is amazing the freshness that she can bring with the same basic elements that she includes in almost all of her novels.**4 stars out of 5**

*re-read on Audible 07/2025**
I loved the characters of Ainsley and Jonathan and their romance was one of my favorites of KH’s books, even though it kept being interrupted by Kate’s drippy tale. Jonathan, “Captain Flatline” was a very intriguing guy and Ainsley’s gradual warming to him and breaking through his shell was very heartwarming and romantic. Loved their story, and her trials with her Ex, horrible Eric, were so appalling, they became funny. One of Kristan’s most well-crafted jerk-wads ever. Her coming to terms with her step-mother was also a highlight.
Kate’s story, on the other hand, I didn’t like all that much, but for different reasons than on my previous read. Very little happens to her and she does very little. It’s all about her grief. I found her very much a Debbie Downer even though she was such a great person. I understand her grief, but it doesn’t mean I want to read about it on every page. It was very repetitive. On this go round, I didn’t understand her doubts over her late husband’s love for her upon discovery of his emails with his ex-wife. She put a self-pitying spin on everything he wrote when he obviously was so happy with Kate after his no-doubt stressful marriage with Madeleine. She was obsessed with him and a psycho-bitch. It is well established that he is a very nice, gentle, and good man. He was being kind to her because he felt sorry for her pain and regret over losing him. Kate said as much to Madeleine’s face, but she didn’t listen to her own words. Her doubts didn’t really make sense. The fact that Madeleine was such a mean nut-case means he couldn’t have still loved her, because he was too good and smart. This time, I had no problem with her final interaction with Nathan’s mother. It was very touching, and if his father and sister never reconcile with her, I was fine with that. Their loss. Ainsley’s story was 5 stars. The two well-regarded narrators are not my favorite.

February 26, 2017