She thought she’d lost her innocence. She was about to learn she still had a lot left to lose. Charlotte ‘Lotte’ Johnston has always done exactly what’s expected of her. She gets good grades and follows the rules. A good girl but a loner–she spends her time on the fringes of high school society, keeping to herself. But then Dallas Baribeau appears. A mysterious new student with a sexy yet … with a sexy yet mischievous smile and fellow social outcast, who seems hell-bent on winning her heart. But like everything in her life, Lotte errs on the side of caution.
Until she doesn’t.
When a single moment leaves Lotte questioning everything she discovers something far more meaningful than the closure she had been seeking…
“K Larsen weaves a story that is both beautiful and heartbreaking. The Girl takes you on a journey of healing and love that stays with you long after the last page.” A. Meredith Walters, New York Times Bestselling author
“K. Larsen weaves together a beautiful story full of angst, heartbreaking truths, and first love in The Girl. The perfect new adult romance.” Rebecca Shea, USA Today Bestselling author
“A gut-wrenching coming of age love story, with an undercurrent of suspense and the burnt remnants of a dark history.”
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I’ve been curious about Charlotte ever since I have read about her and what she went through in THE TUDOR. So I was super excited to get my hands on this book. And I liked it. It was a sweet finding your first love type of read. It was well written. The pace was a bit on the slow side for me. It is a fairly long book, and there were parts (mainly the flashbacks) that I thought weren’t really necessary to the “this” story. Having already read The Tudar I found them a little repetitive.
The friendship and eventual romance between Dallas and Charlotte was the icing in this novel. I loved their connection. I loved Dallas and how he helped Charlotte. I loved that Charlotte got closure. I wanted to ring Dallas’s neck near the end, but I also understood his reasoning. This is a YA book, so don’t expect any explicate sex. No OW or OM drama. However, I could have done without them running into some chick he had slept with in the past. It was random and pointless to me. That said, it didn’t affect my rating at all. I loved catching up with all the couples from previous books. I still don’t like Eve though. (lol) Last, it was all wrapped up in a sweet happy for now ending. I would have loved to seen an extended epilogue with marriage and babies, but it is what it is.
Alll in all it was a great read, and I enjoyed it immensely.
I don’t read to many young adult books but I lucked out with this one. It was an amazing 4.5 star story that had me reading for hours on out.
Charlotte came out a survivor from a traumatic event. She has no friends and is the gossip of the school. Dallas is a foster care kid who sees the real Charlotte. Together they embark on a journey of self discovery and it will leave them in a state of fragile. Charlotte will get closer and Dallas will need to get better for her.
This is an highly unique storyline. I never expected this story to unravel this way. This is a page turning experience. The first part was addicting and captivating. Towards the middle, during their road trip it fazed out a bit but it picked right back up with a shocking last part. An amazing story that was captivating with wonderful characters.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I highly recommend this story.
Oh my….word!
I am no Nora and not even close to Lotte. I can’t find the words to describe the emotions flowing through me like a wild, unclaimed river. I can say they come on like a flash flood and leave ruin in their wake. My puffy, red eyes are proof. The unstoppable sniffling and attempts to breathe out of both nostrils are also consequences of having the feels ripped out of me.
K. Larsen didn’t surprise me. I saw it coming. I knew it was happening. I just hoped beyond hope I was wrong. But sometimes even knowing your going to crash into that brick wall at 100 mph doesn’t make the impact any easier. Knowing you are going to be in agony does not lessen the pain. I think the anticipation of the crash actually makes it worse. So enjoy blissful ignorance because this book is going to give you a world of hurt.
Enjoy young love. Enjoy the youthfulness. Enjoy the healing. Enjoy being free…
Enjoy The Girl with your whole heart. I can guarantee you will finish with a piece missing. Lotte and Dallas will steal a piece and you will never get it back.
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
“Maybe it was fate. Maybe it was destiny. Maybe it was neither.”
Ever since Charlotte was introduced in The Tutor I have been waiting for her book. She is young but so wise beyond her years. Her story was definitely worth the wait. Just like Nora, Lotte had me googling words. This isn’t technically a second chance romance but in a way it is. She gets a second chance at life after The Tutor. Dallas Baribeau is mysterious and aloof so of course I was intrigued by his character. The Girl is an emotional and healing read. It can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading The Tutor to get the complete story.
“I have this incredibly profound but bizarre feeling that I was born to love him.”
~ Read on behalf of Two Darlin Dolls and a Book Review Blog
When I finished The Tutor, I was actually done with the story. The loose thread of char’Lotte’ was left hanging but I thought she didn’t have enough of back story to get her own book, her being so young and all.
But for people who don’t have a past,….they have- A future.
So Katie tells the story of Lotte AFTER she’s been rescued.
“I took it all back- my power. I erased you from this place.From Your home. It’s full of love now. Real Love. The kind that matters”
Her stumbling attempts to fit in the societal values she didn’t grow up in.
They’re a culture shock for sure!!! But she’s a girl built with careful strength. Instead of being morose and depressed she makes an effort with her family of Nora, Mike, Eve’s support to get therapy and try to bring normalcy in her life
I must applaud this new direction which the plot takes. Dallas BariBeau is her anchor, her horizon which she has to set her sights on, in order to move forward
“Love isn’t the absence of pain, my sweet girl, sometimes it’s learning to embrace it”
He’s as broken as she is…if not more, and together they fulfill the voids in each others lives
A trip to experience new found freedom, stretch their wings and a quest for closure….ends in a trip to the hospital!!
“Every memory I can dredge up is accompanied by a feeling of unease because I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop”
It’s a very well written story, full of laughter and sadness, questions and answers, hopelessness and hope. I’m so glad char got her story, as dismal as the mood in earlier books was, this book gave me hope that all is good with the Johnston…they be awright
4.5 stars for Nutella Princess and had star for fangirling over jewel
Putting this one into words is a little harder than most. We already know what Lotte has been through. We already know how much she suffered. How much she lost. Going through so much, at such a young age, is more than most can bare. We already know that Eve, Aubry and Nora are fighters, so Lotte comes with some fierce women to look up to. But what happens when innocence is taken away. What happens when you are forced into a way of life that is unlike anything you’ve ever done before, and then you find yourself back in normalcy and expected to go back to the way things were. Before. Like nothing ever happened. Lotte’s story is quite possibly one of the most emotional stories i have read in quite awhile. For me, definitely the most emotional in this series. And for good reason. We have seen every side of Lotte from every perspective, except her own. Until Now. And Dallas. Oh how I fell in love with this boy. This story is about selfishness, selflessness, heartbreak and love. The fact that the heart and the mind can be hurt in so many ways and still be capable of so much is truly miraculous. Lotte and Dallas have stolen my heart and i hope they steal yours as well.
Lotte has to be one of the strongest female characters I have ever read! Her loving nature and beautiful soul makes her such a magnificent person. Having a different outlook or different past than others , does not make someone an outcast. Dallas and Lotte found a kindred spirit in each other . This book definitely shows you that emotional distress of any kind should not be taken lightly. Learn to love yourself and your heart will open up to love others. K Larsen always delivers such a powerful message in each book that she writes. Absolutely loved this entire story.
Just when I think K. Larsen can’t up her game in this Tutor universe, she goes and writes The Girl. The story of Charlotte Johnston, the smart lover of words and the presumed last victim of Holden Douglas, who at the age of 16 learns what it truly means to survive when her heart is taken by one Dallas Baribeau.
I have been waiting for Lotte’s story since I first read The Tutor. This fierce survivor called to me on a different level than Nora, Eve and Aubry. She witnessed true horror but somehow made it through stronger than ever. Her fire is something to be praised and who knew it would come to a full roar as she stumbles head-first in love with Dallas. The two outcasts in their high school who simply get the other. Not needing much in terms of words, although that is clearly Lotte’s forte, instead feeling that tether between them that only two damaged souls can share.
City and her bad boy. Their spontaneous adventure leads to proclamations of love, loss, frustration and sorrow. And for all of the happiness their journey provides, there is that unease at both Lotte confronting her demons and Dallas hesitantly allowing his to surface. The book took a turn that Lotte hadn’t counted on and it threatens to shatter all hopeful thoughts that she finally held in her fragile grasp.
The Girl is riveting and gripped my very being right from the start. I knew from previous experience with this series that it wouldn’t necessarily be an easy read but somehow Larsen with her brilliant prose made it joyful in the midst of all the heartache. There was something always very intriguing about Lotte, perhaps because of her young age and all they she endured and yet somehow persisted. I’m thrilled Dallas in his own unrestrained and uncertain way, found that same something and gave her the affection and light she deserved.
I could read about these characters and the trials, tribulations and moments of happy they have encountered forever. It is beyond well-written. It is thoughtful, well-paced and full of emotions that gave me pause more than once. Yeah, I teared up a time or two but Larsen’s words have a habit of doing that and I will always be grateful.
This is a book not to be missed and is sure to be at the top of my best of 2019 without a doubt. I just love the way Larsen crafts a story that tugs at my heartstrings while keeping me intrigued every step of the way.
5 huge stars!
This book is a must!
Smart, passionate, with a lot of poignant messages.
This beautiful story captured my heart and I savored every word from beginning to end. It is the kind of story you realize after you start that you “need” to read this story and find out how it will end!
Emotional, passionate and thoughtful, Charlotte’s story affirms that sometimes out of tragedy, you realize what’s important.
I first read about Charlotte or “Lotte”, in the raw and gritty story The Tutor. Let me assure you, The Girl can be read and enjoyed as a standalone. However, why not read both!
The Tutor is another amazing read, and it gives detailed information about the horrible circumstances Charlotte lived through.
She’s in high school now, an old soul in a sea of teen age high tech nonsense, accepting her “peer” order she keeps her head down and moves along until she meets Dallas.
Oh my goodness, these 2 are a pair to meet and enjoy.
These 2 outcasts took me on a heartfelt, passionate journey that captured my heart and their story will stay with me for a long time.
A story of love, hope and new beginnings!
Two beautifully tragic misunderstood cities, older than their years gained through lives of pain and hardship.
Fate brought them together to burn brightly, and shoot through the sky like a falling star.
Two untold stories, a shared pain. A common ground.
Will their time to shine span the width of the ocean or the height of a mountain..
Oh I’m a complete and utter mess having just finished this!
My heart is in tatters, my tears were enough to create a river, and my mind has been obliterated.
Such pain, sadness, sorrow and loss. Two hearts sharing so much darkness.
Theres beauty in pain and it’s so true. This book is stunning. Their story exquisite and mesmerising.
One chapter is never enough, until the epilogue is upon you and then your heart will simply explode. It’s as simple or as complicated as that.
Charlotte is completely unique in all that she is. From her attitude to her survival skills, and everything inbetween. Shes a true survivor!
Dallas is ying to her yang, the guy who makes anything possible. He is the catalyst, the enabler simply the dream.
I’ve not read the tutor but now I feel with the numerous references to it, and flashback memories that its definetly a must read.
This book isnt pretty and full of roses. Its gritty, its real and an epic adventure into what was.
The author gave me something I didn’t know I wanted Charlotte’s story. I LOVED IT.
Dallas and Charlotte are kindred spirits, two halves of one whole. The road for this couple won’t be easy as they both have dark troubled pasts. I couldn’t put this book down, I could feel it was building to something, looking back the clues were there. This is such a beautifully written emotionally raw story. A perfect follow up story to The Tutor.
reviewed by Sweet Spot Sisterhood
When I found out The Girl was Lotte’s story I couldn’t wait to read it. If you’ve read The Tutor, then you know how much she’s been through. She continues to struggle with her past but she doesn’t let that stop her from moving forward. It’s inspiring to see. I love everything about Lotte and Dallas. This is their story.
Dallas is always watching. He notices everything about her. Even when she tries to hide, she stands out to him.
“She shines like a beacon without meaning to. Maybe that’s why I’m drawn to her; because she is light and I am dark. Or maybe it’s just the whole opposites-attract mentality. Mostly I think it’s because she doesn’t want to be seen, and I want her to know that I see her. That I understand the fringes. We aren’t opposites in social standing, just interpersonal perception standing.”
Lotte feels like an outcast. Hardly talks to her classmates. They talk about her but she doesn’t care because she’s only there for one thing. To learn. She’s perfectly happy with the ones she’s close to. Her family who loves her.
Eve finds out about a party and talks Lotte into going. To prove she’s like them. She doesn’t want her to look back and regret not doing anything fun. The last thing Lotte wants is to be like them.
Lotte goes to the party and runs into Dallas Baribeau. He’s a year ahead of her. They have a few classes together. She’s heard all the rumors and their just as bad as hers but there’s something about him she finds interesting.
They both hold secrets from their past. Slowly letting each other in.
What happens when you keep one buried? One that’s beyond your control. Knowing it can destroy everything.
From the beginning until the very end, I was completely sucked into the story. It’s so beautifully written. I loved it! Katie Larsen’s best book to date.
An ARC copy was provided.
I don’t know what to say……. Just WOW!!!!
I’ve been waiting for Charlotte’s aka Lotte’s story for what seems like forever. LOL I didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t sure if K. Larsen was going to take the timeline with Lotte and have her older say late teens early 20’s. Or how her story was going to play out. But she ended up being in her mid teens and the story was nothing what I expected. It was so much better.
This book was raw and emotional but had a lot of humor added in. It’s soul searching, first love and finding ones true self and belonging.
Lotte and Dallas stole my heart from the very begging. I wanted to reach through the pages and wrap my arms around them and protect them and keep them safe and show them all the love. No child should have to endure what these two had to growing up. They had to grow up way to fast and were mature beyond there years.
I don’t read many YA stories. I’m very picky on which authors I’ll read them by. But this is definitely one of them. K. Larsen did an amazing job telling this story. It was beautifully written. It had all the feels and wasn’t overly done in the areas that shouldn’t have been.
This book could be read as a standalone and I feel you would understand what is going on. But I would highly recommend that you read The Tutor first. I think it would help you understand the whole story and give you more insight. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
It’s like that first breath of air, right after having the wind knocked out of you…..Sweet, deep and so, so gratifying.
I am not an emotional reader. I’m just not. Very few books or authors have the ability to affect me deeply, emotionally, and profoundly. So when one does, I want to scream it from the roof tops and force every reader out there to read it…..READ IT NOW!!!! This book and this author, did just that…..and with a YA book at that.
I’m not a big YA reader. Dark, twisty and f’ck’d up are more my speed but K. Larsen captured the innocence and angst of the age but with the maturity, intelligence and depth that is Lotte (The Girl). And Dallas, he’s flippin’ perfect for her….perfect. I don’t think I’ve smiled as much while reading a book but at the same time, I felt tension and something powerful building in the background that I couldn’t put a finger on. It was this lingering aura of urgency that had me desperate to turn each page. I was nearly in tears for fear of what would come. This is K. Larsen, after all, and anything is possible. 😉
I’ve looked for ward to Lotte’s story since first meeting her character in The Tutor. Her old soul and intuitive nature spoke to me and wouldn’t let go. I’ve been, not so patiently but nervously, waiting for her story since. It was so completely and utterly worth the wait……K. Larsen nailed Lotte’s character, for me and hit her story out of the f’cking park!