The Girl He Used to Know
By Tracy Garvey Greaves
St. Martin’s Press

This book, when I started reading it, the pages just flew by. And pretty soon I reached the end and I had that craving to read more about Annika and Jonathan even after the en. It’s a college romance that ended and rekindled after ten years. But it so much more than that, what Annika and Jonathan went through, how they were as individuals, how they navigated life, most especially Annika’s experiences, I just devoured their story. And it felt so very real what they were going through, I felt so much part of the story and every heartbreak, every drop of happiness it was real. The story is set in the early ‘90’s, told from alternating viewpoints and then ten years later. I can’t really go so much in the details because this book, a reader has to go through the journey of discovering who Annika and Jonathan are to really appreciate it. The ending felt open ended but a happy one but yes the hankering to have more of their story lingers.

What do you see when you look at this picture?
Do you visualize a beautiful character even if you can't see her face? Perhaps you assume that the blonde woman is attractive, and indeed, the author bases a big part of the story on the character's physical appearance - that while her face draws attention, her social disorders pushes her to evade them. So what do you do when you encounter someone like her?
The Girl He Used To Know is a multi perspective, dual-timeline narrative that begins with Annika in 2001, reuniting with her college boyfriend, Jonathan in a Chicago grocery store and making plans to stay in contact. Later, she relates the seemingly random encounter to her therapist, so the reader is treated to the encounter as well as the woman's retelling of it, and her pride with how she handled herself during the unexpected meeting. The story then goes back in time to 1991 so we can observe Annika as a college student at University of Illinois, living the moments that precipitated her relationship with Jonathan - its origins and demise. From this decade-old perspective, we learn that Annika is socially awkward, that she has a roommate with whom she has linear conversations, that she is the stereotypical introverted bookworm who finds social stimulation by mirroring fictional characters, following the rules of the chess games she wins easily, and caring for sick animals. These three pastimes are supposed to reflect all the aspects of Annika's personality and while they are layered, the mundane references were't very interesting to read so a big part of the book droned on. The author includes a lot of dialogue so we can see the college students meeting and trying to get to know each other. She also spends a little too much time detailing their sexual relationship, which I imagine might be representative of college experiences but that I wasn't interested in, and the voyeuristic look at their interaction seems oddly banal, and only makes it more bewildering how these two fell in love. Even more odd were the flashbacks to some earlier time and another relationship that Annika had apparently dove into headfirst and there were several times when her personality issues didn't seem consistent with any disorder I've read about.
The short chapters didn't initially make sense to me, especially when it didn't accomplish a change in narrative or timeline. The break seemed like something a paragraph indentation could have accomplished just as well, and even reading from the perspective of Jonathan didn't seem to add anything to the story.
But... and this is a big change in tone.... but this is a book that you have to read to the end to really appreciate and dare I say, love. The eventual emergence of Annika's swanlike qualities are not entirely consistent with the ugly-duckling references but what a swan she becomes!
I've seen this book compared to last year's hyped debut novel, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and I agree that both authors address the tendency for an abused person to seek solace and isolation even while they endure the necessary social situations. However, while both Eleanor and Annika are both thirty-something singletons, Annika is the classic beauty who can hide her social issues behind her pretty face, while Eleanor's scars immediately announced her tortured experiences to the world. But honestly, the associations end there because Annika finds her own way in this one. I appreciated the character growth that the author conceived of, the risks that Annika took and the resolutions of those risks that were supposed to underscore that it's okay to still have faith in society. It took a while to get there but the moral of the story made the journey worthwhile.
While I read an uncorrected proof from Netgalley, I saw a lot of lovable qualities in this book and hope to reread it after its publication.

Wow, what a lovely story. This is a story of friendship, second chances, and kindness. The main character, Annika, struggles with social cues and social anxiety. She is also beautiful and brilliant. Throughout the book we know something is a little different about Anika and we know something happened that led to her breaking up with the love of her life. The story unfolds by alternativing between when they fell in love and their second chance at love, after a decade without any contact. This novel certainly had a beautiful love story but it has so much more: unconditional friendship, family, and the value of a little understanding and kindness. It also has a plot twist at the end that I can’t believe I didn’t see coming. I just wish there were an epilogue to bring us to present day. I couldn’t recommend this one enough.

This was the first Tracey Garvis Graves book I have read, but it won't be the last. I really enjoyed this honest and realistic story about Annika Rose, who was anxiety-driven and painfully unsure of herself. Annika was a sheltered, home-schooled child who is thrown into a confusing and chaotic life at college. She encounters a few people who educate her on the ways of the world. Some were positive influences and others were not. Jonathan Hoffman was one of the good guys who fell for her quickly and learned to understand her quirks to help her navigate and embrace different situations. Unfortunately, a tragedy causes them to drift apart until they ran into each other ten years later. They want to get reacquainted with each other but must face their past in order to move forward.

I loved this book! I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All Opinions are my Own.

I really liked this one, I think it'll be perfect for fans of The Rosie Project and The Kiss Quotient. Enjoyed learning a bit about chess along the way too! Also, the cover is beautiful.

Review will be posted on our blog closer to publication date!

(This is an excerpt of complete review.)

I’ve missed Tracey Garvis Graves’s writing! What a beautiful and charming story. I loved it. If you’ve read and loved The Kiss Quotient, you’ll love this one too. If you haven't read either, please do yourself a favor and start with this beautiful, raw, and emotional read. You'll fall in love Annika and Jonathan, and by the end - you'll root for them and they'll feel like old and familiar friends. Plus, Graves is a wordsmith and particularly wonderful at her craft.

The Girl He Used To Know is a touching story. Annika suffers from autism and struggles to cope with tasks most people find perfunctory. She meets Janice and Johnathon in college who help her navigate a harsh and unkind world. She and Johnathon become an item, but a malady sets Annika on a tailspin of decline and they part. Ten years later they reunite and many things have changed, The couple has one More huge hurdle to endure at the end of the story. I found this story compelling, not only because of the plot, but also because of the Midwestern setting, places I'm very familiar with.

2.5-3 stars. I was looking forward to this book because I'm a big fan of second chance romances but this one left me feeling very meh. There was a lot going on here but I don't want to give anything away so I won't specify what. I just think that a few aspects of this book could have been removed and the scope of the story would still be the same. It alternates between past and present chapters with what seemed like more emphasis on the past. The ending felt very rushed and I would have liked at least a couple more chapters or an epilogue to tie things up nicely.

I had never before read anything by Tracey Garvis Graves but this novel has made me a die-hard fan. Written with so much heart, I felt as though I made a new friend and was deeply invested in her happiness. The Girl He Used to Know will forever hold a special place in my heart and on my shelf.

The Girl I Used to Know is an honest examination of love. It shows the depths at which two people come together and make changes, adaptations and sacrifices to be together. Ratcheting up the tension in the final chapters of the book, leads to a breathtaking, page-turning conclusion that will leave readers believing that love does survive the toughest struggles and as a result, becomes something more.

The characters Jonathan and Annika pulled me in right away and I found myself really caring for them and rooting for them also. I identified quite a bit with Annika in her dislike and fear of social settings and a few of her other quirks.

The characters were well rounded and realistic, feeling like someone I might know or want to know. The relief Annika felt when Jonathan "got her" was so very well written. It was almost as if I were feeling it myself.

If you enjoy books about second chances and about someone who is a little different, you will enjoy this book. Give it a try. I asked for and received an ARC from Netgalley. My thoughts are my own.

Great book, great characters. The plot has many twists and turns that really held my interest. The author had good insight when she portrayed Annika. I found Annika to be an interesting and believable character. I will definitely recommend this book to friends and family. Look forward to reading more books by this author.

It took me several chapters to really get into this book. You are that Annika has run into an old boyfriend, Jonathan, while shopping at the grocery store. But she didn't know that he moved back to Chicago from NYC. You can tell that she has some social problems and exhibits strange behavior, but you're not sure why. Slowly, while looking back to her college years you can see that she has a form of autism. Jonathan knew all along, but he was so in love with her that he didn't care. He wanted to stand by her side forever.

When an accident happens in college, Annika doesn't bounce back emotionally so easily and takes a semester off. Her plan to graduate with Jonathan and move to New York is put on hold. She knows that navigating a big city like NY will be very hard for her and unfair to Jonathan, so while he's there working and going to night school for his master's degree, she starts to pull away and let's him go.

When they run into each other in the grocery store 10 years later, she wants to rekindle their relationship. But he is still hurting from his divorce and still has questions that he needs answered from her. He doesn't know if he wants anything more from her.

An interesting read. I had years in my eyes several times.

Five stars all the way! Anniko and Jonathan are such likable, believable characters that I couldn’t help but root for them. This is a heart wrenching and thought-provoking love story, but it is so much more than that.

Anniko is struggling in college. Home schooled from an early age, she is socially awkward. She has a tendency to be unintentionally blunt and too direct. But she is beautiful. Her tenacious roommate, encourages Anniko to join their college chess team where she excels and that is where she meets Jonathan. He is sweet and kind and he gets her, until she ruins it.

Ten years later, they randomly run into one another at a grocery store. They could have a second chance. But most of all, it gives Anniko an opportunity to explain her point of view.

This novel is about loyalty and bravery and navigating life without a safety net. It’s about bullying, the true meaning of friendship and deep, understanding love.

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Annika is a sweet, brutally honest and quirky college student who has extreme difficulty navigating her way through everyday social situations. She enjoys books and would rather be alone. She hates crowds and loud noises. She meets Jonathan who finds her intriguing. He patiently teaches her that she is worthy of true love during the year they spend together. However, a decade later, we find that they haven't been together, but that fate has brought them together for a chance meeting. What really tore them apart? Can and should they try to rekindle the beautiful relationship that fell apart, or will it be too painful?
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All Opinions are my Own.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Annika is a quiet and reserved college student, unable to fit in well with others due to her inability to read social cues. Uncomfortable around most people, she finds solace in chess and books. Jonathan is ambitious, with a goal in mind to take over the financial world in big-time New York City. Although the two could not be any different, when Annika meets Jonathan she feels an instant connection and is finally able to be herself around someone, eccentricities and all. When tragedy strikes, despite their attempts, Annika and Jonathan go their separate ways, with Jonathan heading to New York and Annika finding comfort in her job at the local library. Ten years later, the two are reunited but before it can be determined if they really are meant to be, two planes hit the Twin Towers. Annika must challenge herself more than ever before in her quest to determine if the man she used to know can still be the man she loves.
“The Girl He Used to Know” by Tracey Garvis Graves, tells the story of true love lost, than rekindled, and then (maybe?) lost again. A bittersweet tale of the power of love to connect two very different people.
Annika is an easy character to relate to. Sweet, naïve, and loving, she is aware that the outside world sees her as different, and has taken her share of abuse as a result. When Jonathan comes along, she assumes he will be just like everyone else, unable to understand her and not willing to try. However, when he proves her wrong, the basis of their relationship is formed.
Similar to “Eleanor Oliphant” and Graeme Simsion’s “Rosie Project”, Annika is the charming, socially awkward and eccentric character you will root for.
“Girl” jumps back and forth between timelines, both in 1991-1992, when Annika and Jonathan first met, and ten years later, when they are reunited. The timelines are clearly marked, therefore making it easy to determine which time period you are visiting, and each chapter is narrated by either Annika, or Jonathan (this, too, is clearly marked). Although I am not normally a fan of stories told in this method, I found that this structure was beneficial for “Girl”, and it did not pull away from the wonderful storytelling.
Delightful and sweet, without being saccharine, Garvis Graves’ novel will strike a chord with readers who are looking for a charmingly human love story, fraught with faults and dysfunction but also kindness and understanding.
A powerful ending wraps up this touching novel, and will leave a reader on an emotional high. From compassion and understanding, to heartbreak and sorrow, this novel will run all of the emotional bases. Highly recommended for those looking for a creative, yet powerful and thought provoking love story.

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 difficult to be around. But not Jonathan. He loves her for her quirks. Their relationship is perfect until a tragedy forces Annika and Jonathan apart.

10 years later and 10 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. I was also a little put-off. This 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.

I gave The Girl He Used to Know a 4-star rating. This was a well-written book that had me in tears. The characters were relatable. The plot-lines were well written. The only complaint I had about the book was the end. It made no sense to me.

I would give The Girl He Used to Know an Adult rating. There is sex (but not graphic). There is language. There is mild violence. There are triggers. They would be bullying, attempted rape and drug use. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Girl He Used to Know. I would also reccomend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Girl He Used to Know.

All opinion stated in this review of The Girl He Used to Know are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Sometimes I crave a book that has some depth, likable characters, and a unique plot that pulls me along frantically flipping pages. This was the perfect book for that! I cried, I laughed, I worried, I rallied and rooted for them and I missed these characters when I finished up the book. Some may call this book slightly predictable or that there was too much packed into one story (I borderline on this one myself), but I loved it and miss these characters now that I have finished their story.

There are some major themes going on in this book, but I don't want to give anything away. I think it made it more enjoyable to go into this one relatively blind. The one big theme and takeaway from this book for me is...What is love? What does it mean to be in love? People say that it's loving someone despite their flaws and quirks, but this book reminded me that it's BECAUSE of these flaws and quirks that we should love someone. Annika and Jonathan reminded me of that and it warms my heart more than I could imagine. I hope you'll give this quick, sweet story a read when it comes out in April-you won't regret it.

If you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, give this one a try!

Reviews can also be found at bookishfolk.com

I became so attached to Annika and Jonathon that I finished the book at 3:00 AM. Annika is such a gentle soul that cheering her on as she battled her social limitations seemed like the natural thing to do. Jonathon is the son any mother would be proud of, or the son-in-law she would choose for her daughter if the choosing was up to her.
The author does an admiral job of switching between the viewpoints of Annika and Jonathon and their two relationship periods that were separated by a 10 year gap. I am not only left with a memorable story but also a better understanding of the higher functioning autism spectrum.
I thank NetGalley for the ARC of The Girl He Used to know in exchange for an honest review. I have discovered a new author to me, and I look forward to reading other writings by Tracey Garvis Graves..

Graves created an incredible story with equally incredible characters. Annika amazes me. Jon took my breath away, together they tugged at my heart strings.

I liked the alternating between past and present. I absolutely adored the ending, certainly kept me on my toes until the very end.

A stunning love story with Annika serving as her authentic and charming self. So glad she found a man loving her for who she IS. Talk about a deserving couple.

Must must read.