New York Times bestselling author of On the Island, Tracey Garvis Graves, presents the compelling, hopelessly romantic novel of unconditional love.Annika Rose is an English major at the University of Illinois. Anxious in social situations where she finds most people’s behavior confusing, she’d rather be surrounded by the order and discipline of books or the quiet solitude of playing chess.… solitude of playing chess.
Jonathan Hoffman joined the chess club and lost his first game—and his heart—to the shy and awkward, yet brilliant and beautiful Annika. He admires her ability to be true to herself, quirks and all, and accepts the challenges involved in pursuing a relationship with her. Jonathan and Annika bring out the best in each other, finding the confidence and courage within themselves to plan a future together. What follows is a tumultuous yet tender love affair that withstands everything except the unforeseen tragedy that forces them apart, shattering their connection and leaving them to navigate their lives alone.
Now, a decade later, fate reunites Annika and Jonathan in Chicago. She’s living the life she wanted as a librarian. He’s a Wall Street whiz, recovering from a divorce and seeking a fresh start. The attraction and strong feelings they once shared are instantly rekindled, but until they confront the fears and anxieties that drove them apart, their second chance will end before it truly begins.
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Annika was not expecting to fall in love when she met Jonathan. Shy and anxious in new situations, Annika keeps to herself. Annika has issues with personal relationships. She finds most people challenging to be around. But not Jonathan. He loves her for her quirks. Their relationship is perfect until a tragedy forces Annika and Jonathan apart.
Ten years later and ten years wiser, Jonathan reunites with Annika in Chicago. Jonathan realizes that his feelings for Annika never went away. Annika comes to the same realization, and they restart their relationship. Will their relationship be as strong as the first time? Or will another tragedy stop it before it can begin?
When I started reading The Girl He Used To Know, I didn’t know what to think about it. The book is told from two different 1st person perspectives. It is also told in two different time periods. In my experience, those two things do not go well together. I usually have issues following these types of storylines. I didn’t have those issues with The Girl He Used To Know.
I loved the storyline that revolved around Annika. I did guess that she had autism early in the story. I have a nephew who is non-verbal autistic, and he shares many of the earmarks that Annika did. What I also enjoyed was seeing how far Annika came from college. There was a point in the book where I thought she would give up.
I liked Jonathan. I did have my doubts about what his intentions were when he first started hanging out with Annika. But as their love story deepened, I could see that he cared about her. He never pushed her past her limits. By the end of their college romance, I was in tears. I didn’t want them to break up.
I do want to give some attention to Annika’s friendship with Janice. It was even more amazing that Janice chose to become Annika’s protector on campus. That scene where she saved Annika from a potential gang rape was short of amazing. Janice became my hero.
I thought that Annika and Jonathan’s romance was one of the sweetest romances that I have read. I couldn’t wait to see what the next step would bring. I was devastated when they broke up (and why they broke up too). When they reunited in Chicago, I did have my doubts if they would rekindle their relationship. And I was happy when they did.
The end of The Girl He Used to Know gave me chills. I am not going to get into what happened, but it was tragic. What Annika did and her determination to find Jonathan made me cry. I was a little confused by the last line of the book. It was the only thing that made zero sense to me. While I knew what it was referring to, I didn’t understand why it was at the end of the book.
For anyone that has followed my reviews for even a short while, it’s no surprise that I have a short list of favorite authors that I automatically buy new releases from because I adore their writing styles. But as much as I love them, sometimes that puts me in a book funk. Sometimes it means the book doesn’t feel fresh or new. Even if I love them. And I’ve learned something fairly recently. As much as I love romance, I really, really love when an author reaches beyond the “normal” romance story. So when I get into that book funk, I usually scour NetGalley for new (or new-to-me) authors. Most of the time, I’m REALLY glad I did. And this time? I’m really, REALLY glad I did!
The Girl He Used to Know is written from a very unique perspective. And maybe because it ‘s because it hit so close to my heart, that’s why I loved this story so much. And I did love it. From the unique perspective of both the heroine and hero, to the timeframe from which it was written, this book hooked me. I was all in. I was up way too late reading, too, which is a sure sign a book will be a four or five star read for me. It’s a second chance romance, but there’s such a depth to the characters, and to their stories, that it felt outside the box of “normal” second chance romance books that have hit the shelves recently. I would tell you more about the story, but it’s just too good of a book to post anything that could be a spoiler, and I certainly wouldn’t want to deprive you of the opportunity to fully enjoy this novel!
So while this author is new to me, I’m now going to be scouring her backlist to see if she’ll fall into my “auto-purchase” category.
NICUnurse’s Rating: I wholeheartedly give The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves 5 stars!
4.5 Hearts
The Girl He Used to Know is the first book by Tracey Garvis Graves that I’ve read. It definitely won’t be my last. I thought it was a beautiful story about two people who could be themselves with each other.
Annika has always felt different. She didn’t fit in. She didn’t understand why people didn’t just say what they meant. She would rather hang out with animals than to be around people. She had one friend. She did join the chess club in her freshman year of college. There is where she met Jonathan in her senior year. A man who surprisedly relaxed her. A man who liked her for her. A man who understood her. They had plans after graduation until they didn’t. And now ten years later, they see each other again…
Annika isn’t the same person she was in college. She still liked her solitude. She was surrounded by her favorite thing, books as a librarian. She still has her best friend. She still has her anxieties but she is more confident. She doesn’t hide her body behind baggy clothes. She tries to speak up more for herself. She even makes the first move when it comes to Jonathan but is he ready to spend time with her again after how it ended in college?
I don’t want to spoil the story so I will keep it at that. I will say that I loved the characters. Annika is real. She actually reminded me of myself in many ways. Anxiety affects many people and it was great to see it in a main character. And I loved the way Jonathan was with her. He was sweet, understanding, and got her. I thought they were adorable together.
Overall…I thought it was a beautiful story. The writing is fantastic. The characters are wonderful. Even if I wanted to smack him at one point. I still love him though. I felt like I was friends with Annika. I wanted to hug her after getting to know her better of course. It really, the book gave me all the feels. I cried. I laughed. I got mad.
Quotes:
“Maybe I’m the one who needs to take it slow this time.”
“I can do slow, Jonathan. I’ll wait for you, the way you always waited for me.”
“Were you flirting with me?”
“I was trying to. I thought I was halfway decent at it, but now I’m not so sure.”
“You’re like the ketchup in my life,” I’d told Jonathan one night on the phone, and he laughed.
“I don’t know what that means, exactly, but if it makes you happy, I’m honored to be your condiment.”
Oh. Oh! What an incredibly lovely story this was!
Jonathan and Annika’s second-chance love story is told both in flashback (1991) – where we get to experience them falling in love for the first time – and in present voice (2001) – where we get to experience them fall in love all over again, ten years later. Both experiences were equally captivating and I could barely pull myself away from their riveting story.
The tone of the storytelling felt almost gentle throughout most of the book – evoking a sweet innocence to the couple both as they experience their first love, and then again when they rekindle that love. Annika is one of the most compelling heroines I’ve read in a long time and I absolutely adored her. I loved the time I got to spend inside her head, and I loved watching how the people who loved her – and not just Jonathan – cared for her. She broke my heart, but she also pieced it back together again and the whole thing could not have been more rewarding.
I felt like Ms. Garvis-Graves captured the excitement and the angst of falling in love in college, even while her characters were “outside the box”. That is, there were just as many things with which I could identify, things that triggered memories and touched on long buried soft spots in my heart, things that allowed my heart to flutter with shared emotion – as there were things that could never have been part of my neurotypical experience (but made for fascinating reading nonetheless). I completely lost my heart to Jonathan and Annika as they lost their hearts to each other. It was just lovely.
It was also sometimes heartbreaking. There were a couple of emotional punches delivered along the way, and they hit me right in the feels. There was also a period toward the end where the storytelling turned more intense and lost that sort of gentle vibe that I associated with it for most of the book. As Jonathan and Annika’s world turned upside down, my heart raced and I spent some time on the edge of my seat while Ms. Garvis-Graves once again summoned my own very vivid memories and feelings from Jonathan and Annika’s experiences. My heart ached for them. My pulse pounded for them. I read with bated breath until – finally – the happily ever after.
In all? What an incredible read. I would have maybe liked a little more from the ending. I definitely would have liked an epilogue. But the story I did get was a poignant, emotional, wonderful read. These are not your average characters. This is not your average love story. And your heart? It just might never be the same after taking this ride. I loved it! Definitely recommend! ~ 4.5 Stars
I absolutely adored The Girl He Used to Know. I had high expectations for this book because I enjoyed On the Island and I must say this book didn’t disappoint. I think I enjoyed it even more than On the Island.
The Girl He Used to Know is a second chance love story between Annika and Jonathan, who have met in their senior year of college, only to be torn apart by a devastating event in their lives and Annika’s struggle to move on from the tragedy and her grief. They reconnect 10 years later and rekindle their relationship but they both still have obstacles to overcome in order for the relationship to work. I loved both Annika and Jonathan. Annika is smart and beautiful but she struggles with social situations and interactions with other people, and Jonathan is extremely patient with her despite the challenges that a relationship with someone like Annika presents. I also loved Annika’s friend, Janice, she was such a great character!
The story is told in two timelines, one in 1991, when they first meet, and another 10 years later, in 2001. The biggest part of the book takes place in 1991 and the one thing I wish we would get more of is the 2001 storyline. I wanted to see more of them rediscovering each other and rebuilding their relationship. Regardless, I enjoyed The Girl He Used to Know immensely and cannot recommend it enough.
Without a doubt, “The Girl He Used to Know” by Tracey Garvis-Graves, tops the list of my favorite books thus far this year! In fact, I can’t rave enough about this unique and compelling second-chance romance that left an indelible impression upon my soul. Boasting well-developed, multi-dimensional characters and a premise unlike any I’ve encountered before, Tracey Garvis-Graves delivers a gripping, emotional story that you won’t soon forget.
While Annika and Jonathan’s arduous journey towards reaching their HEA is paved with many pitfalls, as a reader that longs for the exceptional, I found it to be a road well worth traveling. Ignorant to most social clues, Annika has struggled to fit in for most of her life. And then there was Jonathan, who loved her, flaws and all. That is, until Annika inadvertently broke his heart. Now, years later—after a chance encounter—Annika hopes to win Jonathan back by proving to him how much she has changed. Still, some obstacles might be too great to overcome. So, the question remains, can this couple rise to the challenge? Or will fate step in and prevent them from ultimately beating the odds?
Eliciting a myriad of emotions, “The Girl He Used to Know” broke my heart and then slowly pieced it back together. It’s raw, it’s gritty, and it’s real. And it’s what true romance is all about.
For anyone who has had the one true love that you never quite got over. For someone who’s always felt a little socially uncomfortable. For all those that get a second chance with that special person that just gets them. This is the book for you. Annika has struggled to fit in her whole life. In college she finds Jonathon with who she finds the courage to explore the world as everyone else does with ease. When tragedy strikes, it leads Annika to step away from Jonathan and learn to live on her own. When a chance meeting brings them back together, my heart cheered, until tragedy strikes again, it was almost more than I could take. Written with a sensitive and poignantly realistic portrayal of someone on the autism spectrum, I can’t say enough about this wonderful book. The writing style was easy reading and flowed like reading a letter from a friend. This author will be on my must read list.
This is a book that I never wanted to end…a book that captivated me from the first page and never let up…a book that touched me deeply…I loved every word, every feeling. This book takes readers on a journey filled with love and heartache, and at its center is a character who is memorable and remarkable. Annika Rose is a young woman who struggles socially; she’s inexperienced, awkward, and unsure how to navigate the world. From the moment I met her, I loved her, and the more I read about her, my love grew and grew. By the end, she had become one of the most courageous and resilient characters I’d ever read about; her transformation was inspirational. I was transfixed by this book about second chances with characters who evolve and grow
4.5 “It’s Always Been You” stars!
Annika Rose is a beautiful, single woman living in Chicago who works at a library. She’s always been a bit of a loner, who prefers reading or playing chess. All her life she’d felt like the poster child for weird. On the outside she looked like everyone else, but on the inside she never felt like she belonged. She struggled doing the things that came naturally to most, and often had trouble in social situations. She misread signals and didn’t ever fit in no matter how hard she tried. Then she meets Jonathan Hoffman her senior year of college. He was kind, gorgeous, and a true friend who becomes more. With him she opens up and comes out of her shell. He likes her just as she is and she trusts him. He understood her in ways others didn’t, and made her feel special.
Life takes them in different directions and then they run into each other ten years later. They both still feel something and have always wondered how they could have done things differently in the past. Annika realizes how much she’s missed him. He was her first love, her first everything. She’d never forgotten how treasured Jonathan made her feel, and how fiercely he’d loved her. She decides she can’t let another opportunity with him go, or she’d forever regret it. Can they have a clean slate and rekindle their connection or will it only end in heartbreak?
I really enjoyed this sweet, heartwarming story about how people change and grow, but the love remains. It’s a college, second chance romance that is extremely touching and original. It goes from past to present as their love story plays out. I adore this authors writing so much! She always creates characters that are unique and beautiful.
I enjoyed the fact that this book was so different than many of the other books I have been reading. The way Jonathan and Janice handled Annika was endearing. The story was at times hard to read because so many don’t understand the Autism spectrum and can be cruel. I loved Annika’s honesty and watching her grow was really special. The path of this story really changed with the events of 9/11 and the way Annika handled it and took care of Jonathan left my heart feeling very happy! I just wish I would have gotten a little more in the end…
The Girl He Used to Know is a powerful story, one that has stayed with me since the moment I started the book. I don’t expect I’ll ever forget just how deeply I felt the characters in this book and how much I enjoyed simply being in their world. We meet Annika and Jonathan in 1991, as co-eds who get to know each other slowly through the Chess Club. Their slow burn romance is founded based on a friendship and grows from mutual interest and respect. They have this intuitive understanding of each other that solidifies as they get to know each other.
With Annika and Jonathan, Tracey Garvis Graves creates a beautiful story about first love, deep heartbreak, and second chances. Theirs is a slow burn romance that begins in college, hits a pause, but comes roaring back a decade later. These characters will grab your heart and never let go. They are authentic and endearing and completely captured my heart. Their connection is gorgeous in an understated way.
There are some incredibly hard and heart stopping moments in this book. I dreaded what was coming and struggled to keep my eyes dry so that I could read. It was one of those reading experiences that I only got through by reading furiously then taking much needed breaks to steal myself. In the end my heart soared and I closed the book with sense of happiness that has stayed with me. This is an all time favorite and a definite must read
The more you get to know Annika, the more you come to respect the choices Tracey Garvis Graves makes in crafting this unforgettable, stunning character.
Annika does not like people, even as she recognizes the depths of her loneliness. Homeschooled from mid-seventh grade through high school, she comes to college completely unprepared to adapt. Loud sounds disrupt her, she doesn’t like being touched, and she struggles with deciphering emotions in other people. Outwardly, she is quirky and confusing. People find her strange and off-putting.
Her inner life, though, shows you that Annika is far more aware than people believe her to be. She may not always know how to act in a social setting, but her heart is always, always pure. She does not see evil or cruelty in others; only because circumstance has forced her does she enter relationships hesitantly, pausing to try to suss her way through people’s motives.
She enjoys chess and plays it calculatingly. With chess, she is able to analyze outcomes and choose the most successful path for herself. The pieces have strict terms of movement; her opponent has only so many choices of action. People, though. People have too many unknown variables, too many possible outcomes, too many unknowns. Annika is nowhere near as comfortable with humans as she is with chess pieces.
Tracey Garvis Graves delivers to this young woman a man, a romance, a love. Jonathan sees past Annika’s quirks and straight into her heart, into the woman she isn’t even aware she is. He finds purity and goodness in her, and he respects her boundaries and rigidities.
It would be easy to make someone like Annika a caricature or an object of pity. Tracey Garvis Graves, however, respects her character. She gives Annika strengths and self-awareness. She also gives her people who watch out for her and protect her without ever belittling or demeaning her. We all should be so lucky as to have a friend like Janice in our lives.
I loved the romance in this book. I loved watching Jonathan fall in love with Annika and she with him, and I love the friendship between Annika and Janice. I found myself even more drawn to the smaller moments when Tracey Garvis Graves lets us see people through Annika’s eyes. Annika may not be able to translate facial expressions into human emotions, but she has the ability to show us what we need to know. There is one scene in particular that sticks with me: Annika is home with her parents, telling her mother about Jonathan. “He has never been mean to me, Mom. Not even once.” Annika’s mother blinks in response, “as if there was something in her eye.” In this moment, we see a mother’s joy for her daughter, that sense of happiness and a little relief that she found a man who loves her for her, not in spite of anything.
In Jonathan, we have a hero for the ages, a man who loves tenderly and wholly. He does not baby Annika, nor does he excuse her when she hurts him. Rather, he gives her the chance to explain herself. He understands that she does not respond in the ways he’s used to people behaving, and he gives her the freedom to be herself.
Tracey Garvis Graves sets this book in a very specific time period, one when we were forced to face our fears and learn to adapt to a new world order. It isn’t so much that this is a metaphor for Annika as it is a way to frame her story, to show you the power of love to make you do something you did not believe yourself capable of achieving.
There is another moment in this story when a character tells Annika that “no one deserves a miracle more than you.” The beauty of this story is that you will agree wholeheartedly.
What an incredibly rich and captivating journey. Annika is a beautiful spirit, incredibly intelligent but struggles with understanding daily life’s social nuances. She made me smile as I experienced the world through her eyes with the challenges and her frustrations. In college she finds a best friend, Janice, who is that BFF we all need that is there no matter what happens. Then through chess, she meets Jonathan. I loved how this is a second chance romance for Annika and Jonathan and the story unfolds taking us back to the past to learn how they met, fell in love and drifted apart. Getting the dual POV delivers the added layers to the story to learn of Jonathan’s struggles in college as well as his dreams and passions. This story threw me several curve balls which kept me enthralled as a reader. I don’t want to give away any of these surprises. Just know that this is a beautifully crafted love story that also delivers on the belief in hope, faith and trust in humankind. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I was excited to win an ARC in a GoodReads giveaway. I really enjoyed the story. Annika was a different sort of character, unlike any I’ve read before, but her innocence and naïveté made her very endearing. I liked the way the story switched back and forth between past and present, unveiling little by little how Annika and Jonathan met and why they split up. Jonathan was very sweet to Annika and had much more patience with her quirks than many people would, which just made me like him more.
A lot of the story was spent building up Annika’s differences, and not much was said about Jonathan. The story really wasn’t about him. It was about her, overcoming obstacles and finding the courage to be the kind of woman she needed to be, and the kind of woman Jonathan needed too. I would have liked to know more about him, why he stuck with it, what he was thinking, even why he put up with things in his life that happened between the time they split and found each other again.
The end was dramatic. While I felt it sped through the conclusion rather quickly, I’m almost glad that this particular piece wasn’t too drawn out. I do wish it hadn’t wrapped up quite as fast as it did. Again, I would have liked to have heard Jonathan’s side of the story.
The author’s writing style really pulled me in from the beginning. I became instantly wrapped up in the story, and except for a brief moment when I felt not much was happening, I had trouble putting it down. This author has definitely found a new fan.
Wow! Read this book! Heart wrenching! Beautiful! What an incredible window into the heart of a young woman who struggles with being on the Autism Spectrum and what life is like even years before there was an understanding of what Autism is and her diagnosis. It is a story of love and a story of not running away even when the unbelievable and impossible tragedy occurs. A story of love and miracles!
During college in 1991, Annika and Jonathan dated. Now, after a chance encounter 10 years later, they start seeing each other again. First, as friends and then, maybe, as something more. Alternating between the past and the present, many blanks are filled in as The Girl He Used to Know blends with the woman she’s become. Why did they break up? How have they changed during their decade apart? Will their second chance at love survive the test of time?
Girl is so much more than just another love story. It’s also a coming of age story about the power of love and friendship and overcoming obstacles while finding your place in the world.
“Life isn’t easy for anyone. We all have challenges. We all face adversity. It’s how we overcome it that makes us who we are.”
I found Girl heartwarming, and it brought tears to my eyes several times. Annika’s character was endearingly quirky, and the portrayal of first love was sweet and romantic… yet there were also some passionate love scenes (wink wink).
Location: Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and NYC
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
The Girl He Used to Know is the story of Jonathan and Annika. The two meet in the early 90’s, fall in love but soon part ways. 10 years later, they meet again by chance and pick up where they left off years ago. I am not a romance fan but loved quirky Annika and felt as if I knew her. Annika was very relatable and I found myself rooting for her and shedding a few tears during parts of the story.
I loved this book! This was an endearing and special love story. Annika and Jonathan have a chance meeting ten years after falling in love in college and then going their separate ways. Annika is a quirky girl who’s somewhere on the Autism Spectrum. She is still in love with Jonathan and wants to rekindle their college romance. Jonathan, who loved Annika for all her quirkiness, wonders if they can recapture what they lost. It’s beautifully written and I finished it in less than 24 hours. This is the first book I’ve read by Graves but it won’t be the last.
Refreshing and beautifully written, this story grabbed ahold of my heart from the beginning and didn’t let go until the very end. I never wanted to put it down.
I’m so utterly and madly in love with Annika and Jonathan. Their love story makes my heart flutter. They have both stolen a piece of my heart.
The learning, the love, the heartache, the growing, the struggles…the firsts… everything was written with perfection and the clarity necessary to comprehend and appreciate these characters.
The way Jonathan understood Annika was beautiful.
The way he protected her was fierce.
The way he taught her was touching.
The way he loved her was powerful.
His patience was heartwarming.
I loved everything about this book. It gave me all of those amazing feels a reader wants and needs.
I can’t recommend this enough.
It will definitely be a top read of 2019.
“The Girl He Used To Know” by Tracey Garvis Graves is a beautifully written love story about Jonathan and Annika (not Monica) and their relationship over the course of a decade. On the Autism spectrum, Annika is a character that calls it like it is and I found the peek inside her world fascinating. I fell in love with her as she grew up from their days in college and matured into adulthood. I found this charming story endearing and couldn’t help but cheer for both Annika and Jonathan as the story unfolded. I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author!
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review! I absolutely loved it!