THE GIRL HE USED TO KNOW BY TRACEY GARVIS GRAVES

The Girl He Used to Know is a timeless tale of second chances and embracing who we are. This is an emotional novel as well, one that is certain to tug on any heartstrings. 

Rating: ★★★★
​Release Date: April 2, 2019
Genre: Second Chance Romance. 
Series: None. Complete Standalone. 
Pages: 304 pages
Format: Paperback. ARC. ​

New York Times bestselling author of On the Island, Tracey Garvis Graves, presents the compelling, hopelessly romantic novel of unconditional love.

Annika (rhymes with Monica) 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.

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.
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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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Read my Book Review

Release Date: April 2, 2019
Genre: Contemporary, Second Chance Romance
Actual Rating: 4.25 stars

The Girl He Used to Know is a tender novel. I enjoyed reading about a heroine who wasn't naturally perfect in every facet of life, and I especially enjoyed finding out her diagnosis with her. I had thoughts and ideas as to why she was a little different than others, but I needed to be sure before passing judgement on her character. For the most part, I think the author did a wonderful job in terms of building Annika. She is a woman with flaws, a character who isn't what everyone would deem "normal", and a really sweet and kind person. I wish she were a real person in my own life as I know I would love her just as much as I did within the story. The hero of the story is Johnathon. Readers cannot help but love this man that sees past the obvious difficulties that faces the woman he loves. He doesn't let her differences deter him from being with her, and he clearly loves Annika with all his being. This is proven within the story and Tracey Garvis Graves does a fantastic job at bringing their love story to life. I commend her for writing this book especially considering it's not something we read in the romance world every day. 

Now, this book is not without it's problems, but they are truly light compared to all the good the story brings. First, I agree with other reviewers when they say that they would have liked and epilogue to really wrap things up. I would have liked on too. Perhaps the author will write a companion novella in the future so we can see what happens? Their relationship needs a bit more of a fine tuned ending especially because of all the problems these characters faced within the story. Another thing that I felt myself feeling was that the climax of the story was not needed. I feel like the author put it there simply to make us readers sweat. It broke my heart to pieces reading about it and while I am glad things turned out OK, this would not have been realistic for most people in their shoes. This is a sad truth that had me asking myself why it was even put in the story to begin with. Finally, while I know Annika was never forced into a sexual relationship with Johnathon or anyone else, I sort of felt uncomfortable when I was reading about the first time they had sex. Something just didn't feel right to me... 

Other than this, it's a truly wonderful story with original characters, a beautiful second chance romance, and a lot of heart. Tracey Garvis Graves writes poetically and it's hard not to become hypnotized by her writing. I very much recommend this one to all the readers!

★★★★