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When You Least Expect It
Better Than Expected
Hannah Dalton had a lot of expectations in her life. Growing up watching her mother struggle for everything they had, she resolved to make sure she did everything she could to make those hardships worthwhile. She would pursue the career she dreamed of, she would marry someone trustworthy and kind, and she would try to give her own daughter everything her mother gave her, only without the struggle.
She just never anticipated the order in which it could all happen or the hardships that would inevitably come to pass. But, somehow, maybe it can all work out better than expected.
A companion to the bestselling novel When You Least Expect It.
She just never anticipated the order in which it could all happen or the hardships that would inevitably come to pass. But, somehow, maybe it can all work out better than expected.
A companion to the bestselling novel When You Least Expect It.
5 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 31, 2022
348 people are currently reading
5936 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 584 reviews
January 3, 2023
➥ 4.5 Stars *:･ﾟ✧
MY BABIES!!! I love them so so much. I actually prefer this sort of epilogue novella to Haley Cass's other one.
The domesticity, the angst, the love? All here, all delectable. Abbie is a fucking cutie pie, Caroline is such hunky woman, and Hannah is such a sweetheart.
Something about this just worked for me. The house, the single-parent, their chemistry, gah. Haley Cass rarely disappoints and it's so nice to have an author that you can almost always trust to fill your heart with joy and "aww"s.
Am I deducting 0.5 stars for the TWO FADE-TO-BLACK SCENES? Yes, indeed I am. The one that happened was great but I honestly would have preferred a more romantic/tender one too (there were perfect instances set up for it but they went ftb). Haley, you're so good at writing them!! Don't deprive us of your excellency, I beg.
Also, I should include one of the fluffy, heartwarming quotes because there were so many adorable instances, but this was so enjoyable that I couldn't stop to take notes. Just know that it's a true, utter delight!
Thank you so much for the arc, Haley!!
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
“There’s something about you like this. You look so sexy,” Caroline husked into her ear, as she reached back and grabbed Hannah’s ass, pulling her impossibly closer. “God, I’m so proud of you. You’re fucking perfect.”
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
MY BABIES!!! I love them so so much. I actually prefer this sort of epilogue novella to Haley Cass's other one.
The domesticity, the angst, the love? All here, all delectable. Abbie is a fucking cutie pie, Caroline is such hunky woman, and Hannah is such a sweetheart.
Something about this just worked for me. The house, the single-parent, their chemistry, gah. Haley Cass rarely disappoints and it's so nice to have an author that you can almost always trust to fill your heart with joy and "aww"s.
Am I deducting 0.5 stars for the TWO FADE-TO-BLACK SCENES? Yes, indeed I am. The one that happened was great but I honestly would have preferred a more romantic/tender one too (there were perfect instances set up for it but they went ftb). Haley, you're so good at writing them!! Don't deprive us of your excellency, I beg.
Also, I should include one of the fluffy, heartwarming quotes because there were so many adorable instances, but this was so enjoyable that I couldn't stop to take notes. Just know that it's a true, utter delight!
Thank you so much for the arc, Haley!!
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
November 9, 2022
Hannah and Caroline are back (and Abbie too)!
“Better Than Expected” is a companion to “When You Least Expect It” but from Hannah’s point of view. It eventually morphs into a continuation where we get to see what happens after WYLEI ends.
“When You Least Expect It” is one of my favorite romances of all time so I don’t even know if saying I was excited to get this covers it lol. It also came with some pretty high expectations…and luckily it lived up to them!
I want to start by saying this is more angsty than WYLEI. Hannah is getting over a terrible marriage when it starts so she isn’t in a very happy place. She doesn’t trust anyone, including herself, and spends a good amount of time not trusting what/how she feels.
Because of that, I love how Caroline earns her trust little by little by just showing up and being there. Hannah’s arc is just so lovely and she has my heart, along with Caroline.
This is absolutely recommended!
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
“Better Than Expected” is a companion to “When You Least Expect It” but from Hannah’s point of view. It eventually morphs into a continuation where we get to see what happens after WYLEI ends.
“When You Least Expect It” is one of my favorite romances of all time so I don’t even know if saying I was excited to get this covers it lol. It also came with some pretty high expectations…and luckily it lived up to them!
I want to start by saying this is more angsty than WYLEI. Hannah is getting over a terrible marriage when it starts so she isn’t in a very happy place. She doesn’t trust anyone, including herself, and spends a good amount of time not trusting what/how she feels.
Because of that, I love how Caroline earns her trust little by little by just showing up and being there. Hannah’s arc is just so lovely and she has my heart, along with Caroline.
This is absolutely recommended!
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 7, 2022
Haley Cass is one of the best authors. Period.
When You Least Expect It is my favorite of her books.
This follow-up is from Hannah's perspective and LET ME TELL YOU I have never loved a character more than I do this woman, and it is an utter delight to finally see inside her beautiful mind.
*sapphic sobbing*
I don't know what else to say. Read everything Haley Cass ever writes, just... please. Read it all.
When You Least Expect It is my favorite of her books.
This follow-up is from Hannah's perspective and LET ME TELL YOU I have never loved a character more than I do this woman, and it is an utter delight to finally see inside her beautiful mind.
*sapphic sobbing*
I don't know what else to say. Read everything Haley Cass ever writes, just... please. Read it all.
June 1, 2023
ETA: audiobook read: def improved my experience with the book. partly bc i knew and expected and have (mostly) accepted that this is EXTRA and not gonna give me the hannah pov bits that i originally wanted, but it WAS lovely for what it is and i LOVE HANNAH so very much so any lil bit is great and i think i'm adding a star back up bc i love lori prince's narration and i love hannah despite still wanting less time jumps and a lil more of watching hannah fall in love with caroline in her own head. but alas. i still love it.
~~~~~~
3.5 stars. I waffled a lot on this rating, and want to be clear that I enjoyed this quite a bit, for a couple of reasons. 1. Hannah was my favorite character from the first (main) book in this series, When You Least Expect it. And, 2. I will NEVER say no to more of Haley Cass’s works. However, it’s possible that my expectations for this were a tiiiiny bit too high, as I would have much preferred a little bit less of the large time jumps in the beginning, and I would have really enjoyed getting to really SEE Hannah slowly opening up to and trusting Caroline more. It just felt jarring to go from a small snippet of Hannah meeting Caroline, not getting to see her pov as she asked her to be her lawyer, then suddenly they’re friends, and Robyn is saying Caroline’s in love with her, etc etc, all in quick tiny succession. THATS all the stuff I desperately wanted to see from Hannah’s pov. I just, really wanted this to be a little longer than it actually was. But that’s extra, I get it, we DID already see that in a sense in the main book, so it’s fine, just slightly disappointing for me, personally. I had to adjust my expectations and enjoy what we did get. But, getting this at all is already icing on a very lovely cake, and the only thing that could make it even better is if Lori Prince also narrates this one💜
~~~~~
IS THIS GONNA BE HANNAH'S POV!!!??. 👏👏👏
~~~~~~
3.5 stars. I waffled a lot on this rating, and want to be clear that I enjoyed this quite a bit, for a couple of reasons. 1. Hannah was my favorite character from the first (main) book in this series, When You Least Expect it. And, 2. I will NEVER say no to more of Haley Cass’s works. However, it’s possible that my expectations for this were a tiiiiny bit too high, as I would have much preferred a little bit less of the large time jumps in the beginning, and I would have really enjoyed getting to really SEE Hannah slowly opening up to and trusting Caroline more. It just felt jarring to go from a small snippet of Hannah meeting Caroline, not getting to see her pov as she asked her to be her lawyer, then suddenly they’re friends, and Robyn is saying Caroline’s in love with her, etc etc, all in quick tiny succession. THATS all the stuff I desperately wanted to see from Hannah’s pov. I just, really wanted this to be a little longer than it actually was. But that’s extra, I get it, we DID already see that in a sense in the main book, so it’s fine, just slightly disappointing for me, personally. I had to adjust my expectations and enjoy what we did get. But, getting this at all is already icing on a very lovely cake, and the only thing that could make it even better is if Lori Prince also narrates this one💜
~~~~~
IS THIS GONNA BE HANNAH'S POV!!!??. 👏👏👏
December 2, 2022
I didn’t know I needed Hannah’s point of view but it turns out that I did. Need is probably too strong a word, let’s say it’s a treat. It’s not necessary but it makes the day sweeter.
Better Than Expected is really a companion novella to When You Least Expect It, don’t try reading it as a standalone. It started as a Patreon Christmas gift that is now available to all readers but it isn’t a whole, it’s a part. The beginning is brand new and awesome and I really wish the rest of the book was as well. As it is, most of it isn’t Hannah’s point of view in scenes from When You Least Expected but her reflections on them afterwards. If you don’t remember the scenes themselves, that’s too bad, they’re not in the book. I was, for example, looking forward to Hannah’s emotions and feelings during the weekend with Caroline’s friends. Having to refer to the original constantly kinda messed with the flow. That said, I enjoyed spending more time with beloved characters and getting a glimpse of what happened to them after the first book. Certainly a treat for fans of Haley Cass‘s books, who can also look forward to the audiobook, narrated by Lori Prince. 3.5⭐️
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read all my reviews on my blog (and please buy from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars
May 24, 2023
After listening to the audiobook changing my review to 5!
Love Cass and Prince together
Love Cass and Prince together
November 29, 2022
From the moment I started Those Who Wait, I knew I was reading the words of a special author. With each book since, my appreciation for Haley Cass's skills have only grown. She creates characters that are so well developed, it's impossible not to become completed invested in their lives. When You Least Expect It touched me deeply, Caroline trying to be a friend to Hannah, while trying to deny the feelings she felt growing with each passing day. And Hannah trying to come out the other side after a bad relationship, concerned with being the best mother she could be, while navigating her confusion over her feelings for Caroline. It always hard to let characters like these go and I was thrilled when Cass announced we would get more of them.
In Better Than Expected we get Hannah's perspective and it's perfect. The story begins on the day of Michael's Christmas party, the first time Hannah meets Caroline, goes through the events of WYLEI, and beyond. While I knew and appreciated Hannah's strength in all she had to deal with in WYLEI, this really delved into what she went through with Michael, and I found myself in awe of her resilience. As Hannah finds herself spending more time with Caroline, Cass writes beautifully her trepidation and how her feelings evolve.
While I love Hannah and Caroline, Abbie steals the show. That little girl could someday rule the world. She is wise beyond her years and so integral to her mother finding happiness. I love everything about that kid and Caroline's family making a place for Hannah and Abbie warmed my heart. The only drawback from this book were the murderous feelings that Michael inspired. If you didn't want to throat punch him after reading When You Least Expect It, you will absolutely want to do that and more after reading Better Than Expected. I am so happy that Hannah found someone like Caroline, who loves and appreciates the incredible woman she is and is the second parent that Abbie deserves but most of all, I'm happy we were given the gift of more time with these characters.
An ARC was received from the author for an honest review.
In Better Than Expected we get Hannah's perspective and it's perfect. The story begins on the day of Michael's Christmas party, the first time Hannah meets Caroline, goes through the events of WYLEI, and beyond. While I knew and appreciated Hannah's strength in all she had to deal with in WYLEI, this really delved into what she went through with Michael, and I found myself in awe of her resilience. As Hannah finds herself spending more time with Caroline, Cass writes beautifully her trepidation and how her feelings evolve.
While I love Hannah and Caroline, Abbie steals the show. That little girl could someday rule the world. She is wise beyond her years and so integral to her mother finding happiness. I love everything about that kid and Caroline's family making a place for Hannah and Abbie warmed my heart. The only drawback from this book were the murderous feelings that Michael inspired. If you didn't want to throat punch him after reading When You Least Expect It, you will absolutely want to do that and more after reading Better Than Expected. I am so happy that Hannah found someone like Caroline, who loves and appreciates the incredible woman she is and is the second parent that Abbie deserves but most of all, I'm happy we were given the gift of more time with these characters.
An ARC was received from the author for an honest review.
November 13, 2022
This companion book to When You Least Expect It is an absolute treat! If you haven't read Expect It yet, you'll definitely want to do that first.
How good it felt being able to revisit this story from Hannah's perspective! Cass beautifully captures Hannah's deepest emotions and fears of truly opening herself up to love again, while making us fall even harder for a wonderfully patient Caroline.
If you haven't met Hannah, Caroline and Abbie yet - the holiday season would be the perfect time to do so. Their story brings all the feels indeed.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
How good it felt being able to revisit this story from Hannah's perspective! Cass beautifully captures Hannah's deepest emotions and fears of truly opening herself up to love again, while making us fall even harder for a wonderfully patient Caroline.
If you haven't met Hannah, Caroline and Abbie yet - the holiday season would be the perfect time to do so. Their story brings all the feels indeed.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2025
Reread 5x note: I had a rough weekend, so I went to my go-to comfort read pair of books for a needed and assured HEA pick-me-up.
Reread 3x note: This book and it’s pair, When You Least Expect It, are my picture-in-the-dictionary next to “comfort read” book. We all have one or two. This is mine.
[Jun 2024] This is a shorter companion book to When You Least Expect It. The first third overlaps with some key parts of that book, but then the last two thirds picks up where WYLEI ends. Also lovely. Also recommended.
Reread 3x note: This book and it’s pair, When You Least Expect It, are my picture-in-the-dictionary next to “comfort read” book. We all have one or two. This is mine.
[Jun 2024] This is a shorter companion book to When You Least Expect It. The first third overlaps with some key parts of that book, but then the last two thirds picks up where WYLEI ends. Also lovely. Also recommended.
November 22, 2022
4 stars
I have some mixed feelings about this book. While I enjoyed getting Hannah‘s side of the story, the first half of the book was very rushed as it progressed through the original timeline only it was Hannah‘s point of view of different things happening during that time period. I’m sure that Cass was trying to keep the story from being redundant. However, I would’ve loved to have seen more of the original scenes but from her point of view, there are a couple, but not many. Because of the rushed nature of the first half of the book, the second half felt a bit rushed as well like it wasn’t detailed enough or it was missing some of that Haley Cass “Spark”. I’m not sure how to describe it. Anyway, I did enjoy reading it, but I don’t know if I would read it over and over again the way I will continue to read the first book.
I have some mixed feelings about this book. While I enjoyed getting Hannah‘s side of the story, the first half of the book was very rushed as it progressed through the original timeline only it was Hannah‘s point of view of different things happening during that time period. I’m sure that Cass was trying to keep the story from being redundant. However, I would’ve loved to have seen more of the original scenes but from her point of view, there are a couple, but not many. Because of the rushed nature of the first half of the book, the second half felt a bit rushed as well like it wasn’t detailed enough or it was missing some of that Haley Cass “Spark”. I’m not sure how to describe it. Anyway, I did enjoy reading it, but I don’t know if I would read it over and over again the way I will continue to read the first book.
January 25, 2023
Basically, a summary of Hannah’s POV.
This is angsty, I enjoyed it, we get to see where Hannah and Caroline are now but honestly I think the door was left open for continuing their story.
This is angsty, I enjoyed it, we get to see where Hannah and Caroline are now but honestly I think the door was left open for continuing their story.
December 9, 2024
Every time I read a Haley Cass story, I lament that she doesn't have a better editor. The ideas are there and the accolades her works receive are deserved--no question (at least for me). The execution leaves more to be desired. There's just an awkwardness of execution that is likely due to Cass overthinking things, which I can definitely understand since I am a chronic over thinker. More on this later.
I recently reread When You Least Expect It because I didn't have anything else I really wanted to read at the time and I really loved that book. And a few hours after I finished I learned that this follow-up novella was going to be released in a matter of days and I was so excited. I bought it immediately. I read it almost immediately.
Better Than Expected is told from Hannah's point of view and starts prior to the events When You Least Expect It until it runs concurrent to WYLEI and then continues for a year longer than the events in WYLEI. If you enjoyed WYLEI, you're likely going to love this since more time with the characters just feels like gravy.
But I was a little disappointed, if I'm being honest. Where after reading the first novel, I was in a euphoric state of romantic bliss and possibility, I finished this novel with a minor sense of satisfaction and a bigger dose of worry. Hannah is dealing with years of trauma and we definitely see the result of that on display in this novella, but it's really hard to watch her experience because we know Caroline and, thus, know how much it's impacting her, and Abbie. I feel this series needs a part 3 in the vein of Forever and a Day, where I can feel a real sense of security for these characters and this family.
But I did enjoy my time again with these characters. And if not for issues I have with the execution , this would be 4 stars probably. Just based on the fact that I'm getting more cute moments with these characters that I adore. But there are those other issues, which aren't new issues with Cass's writing, which is why I'm going to spend a little bit of time going there.
Strike #1 is that the novels/novellas don't feel like a cohesive narrative. These feel like connected short stories. And that's maybe a style preference, but it's not something I'm always in the mood for and/or expecting when I pick up a "novel" or "novella." It's something MJ Duncan does, too, which I've also commented on before.
Strike #2 is awkward uses of ellipses and italicized words, both of which should be used for emphasis, yes, but should also be used sparingly. And this is what I was referring to with the over thinking because I *think* Cass wants to make it sound like real people having these thoughts, rather than a random or detached narrative voice, so I get it, but what it does is a) distract me from the text because I'm having to stop to get my brain to recognize what's happening and b) it doesn't allow me to interpret the text the way I want to interpret the text. And these are fine for drafts, but it's something a good editor would remove because it's not necessary. Our brains are going to do that work for us when it's necessary. (Just like a good editor would remove my overuse of parenthesis and dashes. LOL).
So I'm giving this 3 stars because I think this should have been an actual novel to do everything Cass is trying to do and considering the much longer timeline of the narrative compared to the first book and because it's her 5th(?) major work, and I don't want to see these issues anymore. But I'm a weirdo when it comes to this stuff, so you should definitely not listen to me. Go buy this and read it and enjoy it in a way my brain won't allow.
I recently reread When You Least Expect It because I didn't have anything else I really wanted to read at the time and I really loved that book. And a few hours after I finished I learned that this follow-up novella was going to be released in a matter of days and I was so excited. I bought it immediately. I read it almost immediately.
Better Than Expected is told from Hannah's point of view and starts prior to the events When You Least Expect It until it runs concurrent to WYLEI and then continues for a year longer than the events in WYLEI. If you enjoyed WYLEI, you're likely going to love this since more time with the characters just feels like gravy.
But I was a little disappointed, if I'm being honest. Where after reading the first novel, I was in a euphoric state of romantic bliss and possibility, I finished this novel with a minor sense of satisfaction and a bigger dose of worry. Hannah is dealing with years of trauma and we definitely see the result of that on display in this novella, but it's really hard to watch her experience because we know Caroline and, thus, know how much it's impacting her, and Abbie. I feel this series needs a part 3 in the vein of Forever and a Day, where I can feel a real sense of security for these characters and this family.
But I did enjoy my time again with these characters. And if not for issues I have with the execution , this would be 4 stars probably. Just based on the fact that I'm getting more cute moments with these characters that I adore. But there are those other issues, which aren't new issues with Cass's writing, which is why I'm going to spend a little bit of time going there.
Strike #1 is that the novels/novellas don't feel like a cohesive narrative. These feel like connected short stories. And that's maybe a style preference, but it's not something I'm always in the mood for and/or expecting when I pick up a "novel" or "novella." It's something MJ Duncan does, too, which I've also commented on before.
Strike #2 is awkward uses of ellipses and italicized words, both of which should be used for emphasis, yes, but should also be used sparingly. And this is what I was referring to with the over thinking because I *think* Cass wants to make it sound like real people having these thoughts, rather than a random or detached narrative voice, so I get it, but what it does is a) distract me from the text because I'm having to stop to get my brain to recognize what's happening and b) it doesn't allow me to interpret the text the way I want to interpret the text. And these are fine for drafts, but it's something a good editor would remove because it's not necessary. Our brains are going to do that work for us when it's necessary. (Just like a good editor would remove my overuse of parenthesis and dashes. LOL).
So I'm giving this 3 stars because I think this should have been an actual novel to do everything Cass is trying to do and considering the much longer timeline of the narrative compared to the first book and because it's her 5th(?) major work, and I don't want to see these issues anymore. But I'm a weirdo when it comes to this stuff, so you should definitely not listen to me. Go buy this and read it and enjoy it in a way my brain won't allow.
December 15, 2024
Somewhere right around perfect ☺️
November 19, 2022
4,5 ⭐️
So we‘re getting Hannahs point of view in this book. Her thoughts beautifully round up the whole story and add some more layers to it. I enjoyed it very much.
But I was hoping that the author would add some additional scenes at the end of the book. Maybe the wedding of Hannah and Caroline at a later time because as we knew it could be some years before Hannah will want to marry again.
Hannah and Caroline are a wonderful couple.
So we‘re getting Hannahs point of view in this book. Her thoughts beautifully round up the whole story and add some more layers to it. I enjoyed it very much.
But I was hoping that the author would add some additional scenes at the end of the book. Maybe the wedding of Hannah and Caroline at a later time because as we knew it could be some years before Hannah will want to marry again.
Hannah and Caroline are a wonderful couple.
May 8, 2023
The big time jumps at the beginning didn't really contribute much to the story in hindsight. I wish there was more detail on Hannah slowly opening up, her thought process, her way of overcoming her fears which this sequel failed to deliver for me.
May 5, 2023
Very much linked into “When you Least Expect it” the view from the other MC. Enjoyed it more than the original, though short and sweet. Can be read as a stand alone.
March 7, 2024
I reeeeeaalllly wanted this to be a 5-star and honestly thought it would be until about 60% of the way through when Hannah started breaking my and Caroline's hearts. While I understand where Hannah was coming from, I felt like the trust between her and Caroline was already there, and it wasn't necessary to have those extra pages of angst. Because when you know, you know.
That being said, holy fuck, best spicy scene in a book ever written and narrated! 🔥🥵
That being said, holy fuck, best spicy scene in a book ever written and narrated! 🔥🥵
December 12, 2022
Getting Hannah's POV really made me love the story of Caroline, Hannah and Abby even more. It was slow going, and there were all the feelings in between, but the lead up to Abby with a box of her own clothes was just perfect and hilarious.
February 7, 2024
3 Stars for Better Than Expected (audiobook) by Haley Cass read by Lori Prince.
I’m not sure why, but I just couldn’t get into this story.
I’m not sure why, but I just couldn’t get into this story.
April 1, 2025
Every time I read a short story by Haley Cass I'm tempted to find ways to verify I didn't miss the other 200 pages because surely there must be more! Lol. Really well written! I love how this carries you through the beginning from Hannah's POV, without it feeling like a repetition of the actual story. It complements when you least expect it in the best way.
November 28, 2022
This is Hannah's pov story-slash-epilogue to "When You Least Expect It". Brilliant, as usual. Don't miss any book by Haley Cass!
November 18, 2022
I went into this a little bit blind because When You Least Expect It was the first book by Haley Cass I ever read and tbh it was a couple of years ago now and I can't remember the ins and outs of it (a reread is needed!)
It didn't matter all that much though, and I loved Better Than Expected anyway. It was lovely seeing Hannah, Caroline, and Abbie before, during, and after the events of WYLEI. I wish it was longer!
It didn't matter all that much though, and I loved Better Than Expected anyway. It was lovely seeing Hannah, Caroline, and Abbie before, during, and after the events of WYLEI. I wish it was longer!
December 1, 2022
What are you doing reading this review without reading When You Least Expect It?
Ever since reading When You Least Expect It I’ve had a crush on Caroline. She’s just so wonderful. Getting to experience this story and the loveliness that is Caroline Parker from the receiving side is quiet something to behold. The internal struggles that Hannah deals with are so understandable and Cass wrote it all beautifully.
If I were to make one comment about something I would have liked to read about in this book it was the beach house scene and the Halloween aftermath. It’s great to know when Hannah realised the full extent of her feelings, but it would have been nice to know what was going on with her in those scenes. I can guess of course. And we do get answer for the beach house scene.
It was amazing to catch up with Caroline, Hannah and Abbie. Seeing where Hannah stands on things and getting to see their relationship develop. I think this book also shows the progress in Cass’s writing, it was captivating to begin with, but you can tell she developed her skills even further.
Ever since reading When You Least Expect It I’ve had a crush on Caroline. She’s just so wonderful. Getting to experience this story and the loveliness that is Caroline Parker from the receiving side is quiet something to behold. The internal struggles that Hannah deals with are so understandable and Cass wrote it all beautifully.
If I were to make one comment about something I would have liked to read about in this book it was the beach house scene and the Halloween aftermath. It’s great to know when Hannah realised the full extent of her feelings, but it would have been nice to know what was going on with her in those scenes. I can guess of course. And we do get answer for the beach house scene.
It was amazing to catch up with Caroline, Hannah and Abbie. Seeing where Hannah stands on things and getting to see their relationship develop. I think this book also shows the progress in Cass’s writing, it was captivating to begin with, but you can tell she developed her skills even further.
November 8, 2022
This is a companion to When You Least Expect It told from Hannah’s perspective. I wasn’t sure where Cass was going to take us with this one, but I was surprised to find most of my I-wonder-what-Hannah-was-thinking questions were answered brilliantly.
This made me not only love Hannah more but connect to her in ways the first book left me wanting. The depth of her character bloomed with her observations about her mother, how they struggled financially when she was young, and how that ingrained a sense of survival in her, for better or worse. My heart ached for her every time she got affirmation of just how bad her marriage was to Michael. What really happened at that Christmas party gutted me, but our girl Caroline came through. And at the end of it, Hannah realizes that no amount of false security was worth her and her daughter’s happiness.
Where this companion piece really shines is in the moments we get to witness Hannah push through all her uncertainties and fears about love and become this brave woman who allows herself to open up to Caroline, even when life has told her that true love and forever don’t exist. It’s in all the ways we get to see her realize that those things are finally staring her in the face – that everything she’s done, she’s done with Caroline in mind - from designing the perfect house that fits both of their needs to allowing herself time to be sure she’s making the right decision.
Hannah and Caroline will forever hold a special place in my heart. They are true romance at its finest.
This was a great companion to one of my favorite books by a favorite author. Cass writes with a particular cadence that I’ve come to adore. Having read all of her work, there’s something so visceral and genuine about her dialogue and the way her characters interact. Writing about romance is a dance that she knows very well and you can always count on reading about a love that is deep, rich, and bites with life and longing.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. 4.5⭐
This made me not only love Hannah more but connect to her in ways the first book left me wanting. The depth of her character bloomed with her observations about her mother, how they struggled financially when she was young, and how that ingrained a sense of survival in her, for better or worse. My heart ached for her every time she got affirmation of just how bad her marriage was to Michael. What really happened at that Christmas party gutted me, but our girl Caroline came through. And at the end of it, Hannah realizes that no amount of false security was worth her and her daughter’s happiness.
Where this companion piece really shines is in the moments we get to witness Hannah push through all her uncertainties and fears about love and become this brave woman who allows herself to open up to Caroline, even when life has told her that true love and forever don’t exist. It’s in all the ways we get to see her realize that those things are finally staring her in the face – that everything she’s done, she’s done with Caroline in mind - from designing the perfect house that fits both of their needs to allowing herself time to be sure she’s making the right decision.
Hannah and Caroline will forever hold a special place in my heart. They are true romance at its finest.
This was a great companion to one of my favorite books by a favorite author. Cass writes with a particular cadence that I’ve come to adore. Having read all of her work, there’s something so visceral and genuine about her dialogue and the way her characters interact. Writing about romance is a dance that she knows very well and you can always count on reading about a love that is deep, rich, and bites with life and longing.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. 4.5⭐
November 21, 2022
There are something about the way this author deliver her story that make it special, idk but this book is another good book from her. I think all of her book are above average and never boring. Btw, you have to read the first book before you read this or else you will be clueless on most part.
May 21, 2023
I loved Abbie in this novella.
November 16, 2022
I loved Hannah and Caroline’s story in When You Least Expect It, so when I saw Haley Cass announce this one from Hannah’s POV, I was super excited. I will say this, I was expecting, no pun intended, the same story just with Hannah’s thoughts, but it’s much more than that. Not only are there glimpses from then, but the story continues with much more. Also, Abbie for the win once again. I was sad to see it end and will be hoping for more in the future.
June 15, 2025
My expectation when I heard about this book was that we would be viewing the other side of the events in When You Least Expect It, which is one of my favourite sapphic romances and a solid comfort read. To my delight, we actually go a bit further back and also forwards in time to expand on Hannah's journey, from interacting with her mother when she was still alive, through to the end of the year beyond where we left these characters in WYLEI.
Unlike many companion novels, this one is really helpful in shedding light on Hannah's thoughts, which is particularly interesting because of Hannah's known difficulty in verbalising her feelings. The expanded time frame works beautifully in showing us the source of Hannah's trauma and disillusionment and how she's struggled with her marriage.
Also: Caroline is perfect and if you didn't love her already, you will after seeing her through Hannah's eyes.
I also love a later part of the story with Abbie's relationship developing with Caroline. Much to squee about specifically, but it'll all be spoiler tagged, so I won't list it all out.
Needless to say, I love this as much as I love WYLEI and this will certainly be joining my list of favorite comfort reads.
Unlike many companion novels, this one is really helpful in shedding light on Hannah's thoughts, which is particularly interesting because of Hannah's known difficulty in verbalising her feelings. The expanded time frame works beautifully in showing us the source of Hannah's trauma and disillusionment and how she's struggled with her marriage.
Also: Caroline is perfect and if you didn't love her already, you will after seeing her through Hannah's eyes.
I also love a later part of the story with Abbie's relationship developing with Caroline. Much to squee about specifically, but it'll all be spoiler tagged, so I won't list it all out.
Needless to say, I love this as much as I love WYLEI and this will certainly be joining my list of favorite comfort reads.
January 18, 2023
CRYINGGGG, i missed caroline, hannah and abbie so much 🥺 my family
September 26, 2024
Actual rating 4.5 ⭐️
I LOVE that we got When You Least Expect It from Hannah's POV with a little extra on both sides of the story! DAMN did this one hit me in the feels. So controversial opinion - I found this one to be more impactful that the first book. The reason is Hannah's story felt personal to me, as a divorcee who also struggled finding her footing again after the dust settled. Hannah's journey felt so real to me. Her hesitation with taking steps forward in this new relationship, the anxiety about future relationship milestones, the distrust of herself (OUCH) was like being in my own psyche.
So while I know this review is extremely biased based on my own experience, I am so thrilled that Haley Cass gave us the alternate viewpoint for Hannah and Caroline's relationship. It made the build up feel even more real and human, and it was done beautifully. My only complaint is I wish it was longer.
I LOVE that we got When You Least Expect It from Hannah's POV with a little extra on both sides of the story! DAMN did this one hit me in the feels. So controversial opinion - I found this one to be more impactful that the first book. The reason is Hannah's story felt personal to me, as a divorcee who also struggled finding her footing again after the dust settled. Hannah's journey felt so real to me. Her hesitation with taking steps forward in this new relationship, the anxiety about future relationship milestones, the distrust of herself (OUCH) was like being in my own psyche.
So while I know this review is extremely biased based on my own experience, I am so thrilled that Haley Cass gave us the alternate viewpoint for Hannah and Caroline's relationship. It made the build up feel even more real and human, and it was done beautifully. My only complaint is I wish it was longer.
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