Tuesday 2 April 2019

♟ THE GIRL HE USED TO KNOW ♟ Tracey Garvis Graves ♟

© Bianca Janeane




Love doesn't come with an instruction manual.

• 2 April 2019
• 304 pages
★★★★★
5 Stars

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.




Jonathan and Annika met over a decade ago at College.
Now it's 2001 and they haven't seen each other for 10 years.
But both are now living in Chicago for work.
Something ended their relationship back then - we don't yet know exactly what. We just know they belong together and we hope that now is the right time for their second chance.
But of course it's not going to be easy. Jonathan just got divorced 18 months ago and Annika is still her complicated, slightly Autistic self. Jonathan was always the only one person she felt safe and comfortable and happy with. But whatever happened ten years ago is still very much between them....

What will happen to Annika & Jonathan?
Will there finally be a Happily Ever After?
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT!
 
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Ugh!
Too bad that I had a paperback of this book, not the kindle version. Tears are much more easily wiped from a screen. And also???? How did people in olden - paperbook - ages highlight something in a book???? I guess you can use post-it stickers? But I don't wanna hurt the book! I took a pic of the quotes with my phone! Here's one I loved:


I just adored this book. Annika and Jonathan are so perfect for each other.
Annika with her mega social awkwardness - Jonathan just gets her. He knows exactly what to do and say and it's so adorable to watch those two.

The book is told in both POVs and we go back and forth in time. They met in 1991 at college and the present time is August 2001. And that makes me really nervous, because even though we're in Chicago, I just know that someone will be in NYC in September - I was a bit scared all through the book.

The whole book was basically a huge cry-fest for me. I started reading and nothing bad happens ... and still I cried. It was all so beautifully sad. Poor Annika with her challenges. She doesn't like noise, smells, lots of people in one place and so much more. She's happiest with her books.
But she's in college now and she needs to live a little - says her room mate!
And then she meets Jonathan at chess club.
And he's instantly attracted to the pretty girl - but of course he didn't know that being with her would be quite the challenge - but also so very worth it!

AMAZING BOOK!
I don't want to say any more - just know that it's a beautiful book with beautifully written characters and moments and feelings and ... I just adored everything about this book. Welllll - maybe I would've loved to have an epilogue - but I can make one up in my head! ☺

PLEASE HOLLYWOOD!!! Come and make something out of this book. A Netflix show or something! I NEED TO SEE Annika & Jonathan!


THE GIRL HE USED TO KNOW was the most beautiful love story! First love, second chances and ALL THE FEELS!
READ IT!





Thank you St Martin's Press for the super early copy of The Girl He Used To Know.

What a beautiful, heartbreaking second chance romance is this story.

Jonathan an Annika (sounds like Monica without the M) and their story was just wonderful. I fell hard for them as I was reading. Annika was some kind of extra special to me. I love all her quirks and her social akwardness..

Jonathon is all kinds of swoonworthy. I love how he sees Annika, not her quirks.

Word to the wise though - don't be reading this story in public. I was reading the last quarter of this book during my lunch break today, and I was a sobbing mess. Lucky for me I was in the office by myself today and nobody saw my breakdown!

Beautiful, poignant and touching. I didn't want The Girl He Used To Know to end.


 LINKS TO THE BOOK AND AUTHOR 
  
  







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.