Release Day Review: The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
Genre: Women's Fiction/Romance
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
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.
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.
Amazon: bit.ly/girlheusedtoknowAMZ
Indiebound: bit.ly/girlheusedtoknowIB
Powell's: bit.ly/girlheusedtoknowPowells
Books-A-Million: bit.ly/girlheusedtoknowBAM
iBooks: bit.ly/girlheusedtoknowApple
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2x0sxze
**ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Tracey
Garvis Graves is one of my favorite authors. I fell in love with her
story-telling abilities when I first read On the Island. So any book by her is
a must-read for me. The Girl He Used to Know is a beautiful second-chance
romance about two amazing characters that find and elevate each other for the
better. Annika is a unique and amazing person, and there were a couple of
scenes that broke my heart. Jonathan, who is a great guy, learns quickly how to
socialize and put her at ease. Of course they both aren't perfect, and
unintentionally they hurt the other. I will not really go into the plot because
the synopsis of this book is perfect in my opinion. I also think you should
just dive in blind and just experience the beautiful love between these great
characters.
"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 just loved that the author took her time including flashbacks to tell how these to met and fell in love. I was glad that the flashbacks weren't overwhelming or take over the whole story. Because I do have a love/hate relationship with flashbacks. Sometimes it can be a bit too much, but that wasn't the case for this book. The individual character development was really good, and you could really see a growth, especially in Annika. The last quarter of the book was very emotional, and I was tense and on the edge of my seat. It was such an emotional roller coaster for me. I honestly wouldn't change anything about this book, but I really would've loved an epilogue. I felt like this book needed one. I just wasn't ready to say goodbye and I wanted to see more of Annika and Jonathan.
"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 just loved that the author took her time including flashbacks to tell how these to met and fell in love. I was glad that the flashbacks weren't overwhelming or take over the whole story. Because I do have a love/hate relationship with flashbacks. Sometimes it can be a bit too much, but that wasn't the case for this book. The individual character development was really good, and you could really see a growth, especially in Annika. The last quarter of the book was very emotional, and I was tense and on the edge of my seat. It was such an emotional roller coaster for me. I honestly wouldn't change anything about this book, but I really would've loved an epilogue. I felt like this book needed one. I just wasn't ready to say goodbye and I wanted to see more of Annika and Jonathan.
Tracey Garvis Graves is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. Her debut novel, On the Island, spent 9 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, has been translated into thirty-one languages, and is in development with MGM and Temple Hill Productions for a feature film. She is also the author of Uncharted, Covet, Every Time I Think of You, Cherish, Heart-Shaped Hack, White-Hot Hack, and The Girl He Used to Know. She is hard at work on her next book.
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